NBA suspends Los Angeles Lakers’ Andrew Bynum for five games next season – NBA news
National Basketball Association has announced that Los Angeles Lakers Andrew Bynum has been suspended for five games next season as he was called for a flagrant foul on Dallas Mavericks guard Jose Juan “J.J.” Barea in their final game of the contention.
The 2011 postseason semi-final was not only thorny, but also ended on a bad note, not just for the two-time defending champions, but also for their veteran centre. He finished the season with suspension and his team was eliminated from the second round of
the playoffs.
Bynum received suspension two days after the Lakers’ 36-point loss to the Mavericks in game 4 of the Western Conference semi-finals, when he was ejected late in the game due to a foul. Along with the suspension, Andrew was also charged with a $25,000 fine
for tearing off his jersey while he was heading into the lockers. Therefore, the foul will cost Bynum more than $700,000 in total.
Earlier Tuesday, Bynum expressed repentance on the incident after his interview at the Lakers’ training complex, pronouncing the foul “terrible” and “unacceptable.”
Bynum said, “(my deeds) Don't represent me, my upbringing, this franchise or any of the Laker fans out there that want to watch us and want us to succeed.”
He added, “I want to actually apologize to J.J. Barea for doing that. I'm just glad that he wasn't seriously injured in the event. All I can say is, I've looked at (a replay), it's terrible, and it definitely won't be happening again.”
The episode took place as Bynum hit Barea in the ribs with his elbow when the Dallas guard was up in the air after releasing the ball for a layup. Immediately afterwards, the fans started throwing things on the court and officials struggled to keep the harmony.
Barea did not suffer any serious injury, but he stayed down for a long time. An angry Bynum took off his jersey and was ushered to the lockers by Ron Artest.
Prior to this Bynum was suspended for two games in March 2011 when he was called for a foul on Minnesota Timberwolves’ Michael Beasley beneath the rim, but that foul did not have the same malice which Andrew accepted in his foul against Barea.
Bynum told that he was he really annoyed with Los Angeles’ terrible performance in the elimination game, when the Mavs outplayed the Lakers in the first half of the game and went 24 points ahead at the halftime and his team failed to rise again.
Andrew was less regretful about the foul straightaway after it happened, saying the Mavericks guard was frequently driving the lane for baskets that aggravated him. Bynum also mentioned that he tried to contact Barea in person, but was not able to reach
him.
Earlier, Bynum’s teammate Artest was suspended for one game when he hard-fouled Barea during game 3 of the second round, but unlike Andrew, Artest called his suspension unfair.
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