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Lakers' Artest banned 1 game for flagrant foul
Lakers forward Ron Artest was suspended one game without pay for his foul on Mavericks guard Jose Juan Barea in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals series against Dallas.
With 24.4 seconds left in the Mavericks' 93-81 win over the Lakers, Artest reached out with his right hand and grabbed Barea by the face and essentially clotheslined him. Artest was immediately ejected after picking up his second technical foul.
The foul was classified a Flagrant Foul 2. Artest will miss Friday's Game 3 in Dallas, with the Mavericks leading the best-of-seven series 2-0.
Matt Barnes likely will start in Artest's place, keeping L.A.'s rotation of big men intact with Lamar Odom coming off the bench.
Artest was out of position and had to run through Odom to get to Barea, who took a minute to recover before making two free throws to seal the Mavs' victory.
After the game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he expected Artest to be suspended by the NBA.
"It was uncalled for. There's a good chance he'll be suspended," Jackson said, adding, "I hope not."
Artest's elbow to Mavs center Tyson Chandler late in the second quarter earned him his first technical. Barea wouldn't comment on Artest's possible suspension after the game.
Source: AP
With 24.4 seconds left in the Mavericks' 93-81 win over the Lakers, Artest reached out with his right hand and grabbed Barea by the face and essentially clotheslined him. Artest was immediately ejected after picking up his second technical foul.
The foul was classified a Flagrant Foul 2. Artest will miss Friday's Game 3 in Dallas, with the Mavericks leading the best-of-seven series 2-0.
Matt Barnes likely will start in Artest's place, keeping L.A.'s rotation of big men intact with Lamar Odom coming off the bench.
Artest was out of position and had to run through Odom to get to Barea, who took a minute to recover before making two free throws to seal the Mavs' victory.
After the game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he expected Artest to be suspended by the NBA.
"It was uncalled for. There's a good chance he'll be suspended," Jackson said, adding, "I hope not."
Artest's elbow to Mavs center Tyson Chandler late in the second quarter earned him his first technical. Barea wouldn't comment on Artest's possible suspension after the game.
Source: AP