Phoenix Suns center Robin Lopez has been suspended one game without pay after bumping an official in the second quarter of the team's Tuesday loss to the Toronto Raptors, the NBA announced Wednesday.
Lopez will serve the suspension Friday as the Suns take on the Trail Blazers in Portland.
With 8:14 remaining in the second quarter Tuesday, Lopez bumped official Rodney Mott after a foul in the open court. Lopez seemed to be bothered by the lack of an offensive foul call during a post-up move. Officials reviewed the incident and ejected Lopez, who had been in the game less than four minutes.
The incident came on the same night that Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby confirmed that the team would not offer the fourth-year center a contract extension by the Wednesday deadline. Such incidents might make the club even more hesitant to commit to the temperamental Lopez.
Suns coach Alvin Gentry seemed visibly bothered by the incident after the game Tuesday, responding to a question about what exactly happened rather bluntly.
"I don’t know, and I don’t really give a (expletive) to tell you the truth," Gentry said. "You’d have to talk to him about that."
Lopez did not meet with reporters following the game.
