Serge Ibaka can be hot-headed, and James Johnson has actual fighting experience.
In the Heat’s win over the Raptors last night, they combined for a pretty significant altercation by NBA standards. No punches landed, but a couple actually thrown:
Then, DeMar DeRozan and Goran Dragic got into after the game:
Now comes the fallout.
NBA release:Miami Heat forward James Johnson and Toronto Raptors forward Serge Ibaka have each been suspended one game without pay for throwing punches at one another, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred with 7:50 remaining in the third quarter of the Heat’s 90-89 victory over the Raptors on Jan. 9 at Air Canada Centre.
Johnson will serve his suspension tonight when the Heat faces the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Ibaka will serve his suspension on Jan. 11, when the Raptors host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Air Canada Centre.
The NBA also fined the Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan $25,000 and the Heat’s Goran Dragic $10,000 for a separate altercation at the end of the game, during which DeRozan attempted to forcefully shove Dragic with an open hand.
The Raptors and Heat are jockeying for playoff position, and both their next games are relative tossups. Ibaka and Johnson will be missed.
They could learn from DeRozan, who got away with only a fine (albeit the larger one): Keep that hand open when swiping at an opponent.
