MIAMI — Udonis Haslem insists he meant no harm. The NBA deemed otherwise, and the Miami Heat will be without one of their co-captains when they try to close out the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
MIAMI — Udonis Haslem insists he meant no harm. The NBA deemed otherwise, and the Miami Heat will be without one of their co-captains when they try to close out the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
Haslem was suspended for Game 6 of the Miami-Indiana Eastern Conference semifinal series, a matchup where emotions boiled over in a runaway Heat victory on Tuesday night. The NBA also said Miami reserve center Dexter Pittman will miss three games in response to his flagrant foul against Indiana backup guard Lance Stephenson in the final seconds of Game 5.
Indiana’s Tyler Hansbrough was not suspended, although the league upgraded his foul against Miami’s Dwyane Wade to a flagrant-2 on Wednesday — which, if called that way during Game 5, would have brought an automatic ejection. Hansbrough struck Wade in the head, opening a cut over his right eye. Moments later, Haslem committed a flagrant foul against Hansbrough, clearly in response to the play against Wade.
So while Haslem sits Thursday, Hansbrough may play.
“It’s very disappointing, obviously,” Miami forward Shane Battier said Wednesday night. “But we’re a resilient group. … The verdict process is a mystery to players, and so we don’t get caught up in it. We can’t control it. We know the NBA’s going to do what they feel they need to do and we need to live with the consequences.”
OKC police arrest teen in Bricktown shootings
OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma judge has ordered the release of a 19-year-old man arrested in connection with a shooting that left at least eight people wounded following an NBA playoff game.
According to online court records, an order was signed Wednesday to release Rodney Hill from custody, pending additional investigation into the shootings Monday night in the Bricktown entertainment district. Officers arrested a 17-year-old male late Tuesday in connection with the crime.
Eight people suffered gunshot wounds and a pregnant woman was hurt but not shot when gunfire erupted about 11:35 p.m. following the Thunder-Lakers playoff game. Authorities say one person remains in critical condition, and the others are in good condition.
Heat’s James leads NBA all-defensive team
NEW YORK —NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James is the leading vote-getter for the league’s all-defensive team.
Thunder forward Serge Ibaka, Clippers guard Chris Paul, Grizzlies guard Tony Allen and Magic center Dwight Howard join the Heat star on the first team announced Wednesday.
Ibaka and Allen earned first-team honors for the first time.
James totaled 53 points, including 24 first-team votes. He averaged 1.9 steals and 7.9 rebounds as Miami ranked fourth in the league in opponent scoring.