Orlando's Jason Williams suspended for tonight's game with Heat
MIAMI (AP) -- Jason Williams of the Orlando
Magic was suspended one game without pay for making contact with a game
official following an ejection, keeping him from Friday night's game
against the Miami Heat.
NBA executive vice president of
basketball operations Stu Jackson announced the punishment on Friday, a
few hours before the Magic-Heat matchup. Williams is eligible to return
for Orlando's next game Tuesday at New York.
Williams was ejected with 58 seconds left
in the fourth quarter of the Magic's 112-83 victory over the Washington
Wizards on Thursday night. He was upset with an offensive foul called
against him and, while arguing, tugged on referee Tony Brothers' arm.
Brothers gave Williams both technicals,
and players have been warned repeatedly over the last month that
excessive arguing will lead to sanctions. Known around the league as
the NBA's "respect the game" policy, players and coaches said often
during the preseason that they were concerned about too many technicals
being levied as a result.
Williams was not particularly
demonstrative, but kept pleading his case after Brothers whistled him
for the first technical. He then grabbed Brothers' left arm, apparently
trying to get the referee's attention.
"You can make a face. You can even have a
reaction," NBA Commissioner David Stern said Friday at a business
luncheon in Miami. "But don't negotiate all the way up and down the
court, because that doesn't put you in a particularly good light. You
don't do it in high school. You don't do it in college. Why do you get
your MBA in complaining when you come to the NBA?"
Stern said the complaining "sets a very
bad example for kids," which is why the league made it a point of
emphasis this season.
Chris Duhon is expected to absorb most of Williams' minutes against the Heat.
Received 10/29/10 05:21 pm ET
