National Basketball Association

Boykins suspended for bumping ref

Published Dec. 28, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Milwaukee Bucks guard Earl Boykins has been suspended one game without pay by the NBA for making intentional contact with a referee.

Boykins was issued a technical foul, but not ejected after bumping Brian Forte with 5.3 seconds left in the third quarter of the Bucks' 95-80 home loss to Atlanta on Monday.

Boykins missed the Bucks' game at Chicago on Tuesday. With the Bucks already missing starter Brandon Jennings with a broken foot, coach Scott Skiles said he would be forced to play John Salmons and Chris Douglas-Roberts at point guard.

''Earl apologized the very second it happened, then he apologized again. He apologized to Brian,'' Skiles said. ''Again, the league knows Earl is not in any way a malicious character or anything like. But on the other hand, the league has rules that you can't cross and we understand that as well.''