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NBA suspends Walker for grabbing referee
Updated: 2005-04-30 09:47
Boston forward Antoine Walker was suspended for one game by the NBA on Friday
for grabbing a referee during an angry confrontation with Indiana's Jermaine
O'Neal.
Antoine Walker #8 of the Boston Celtics is ejected
from the game after he received his second technical foul in Game three of
the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2005 NBA Playoffs on April
28, 2005 at Conseco Field House in Indianapolis,Indiana. Walker will miss
game four of the Celtics' first-round National Basketball Association
playoff. [AFP]
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O'Neal was fined $10,000 for his role in the
altercation.
Walker, who had 14 points and nine rebounds, was ejected following his second
technical Thursday night after a hard foul on O'Neal with just over four minutes
to go. During the confrontation, Walker grabbed referee Tom Washington by the
arm in an attempt to move him out of the way. O'Neal shoved Walker in the chest
and grabbed his jersey, but no punches were thrown.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he never expected Walker would be suspended.
"I'm surprised and disappointed in the league's decision," Rivers said late
Friday. "But we are a strong and resilient team. I wish the decision had been
made sooner so we could have more time to prepare for Indiana on Saturday."
Walker was not available for comment following the league's announcement,
team spokesman Brian Gleason said.
Earlier, before practice, Walker talked to NBA vice president Stu Jackson but
would not discuss what was said during the telephone conversation.
"Next question. ... Next question," Walker kept repeating. "It's none of your
business."
O'Neal, still bothered by a sprained right shoulder he injured late in the
regular season, also received a technical but remained in the game and finished
with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Pacers won 99-76 to go up 2-1 in the
best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Saturday night.
Walker will be reinstated for Game 5 in Boston on Tuesday.
Rivers said before the penalties were announced that he didn't think the NBA
would suspend his star forward because the contact with Washington wasn't
intentional.
"If you're arguing with the ref and you go and bump a ref, that's one thing,"
Rivers said. "But in a scramble, or whatever that was, when guys are running
around, refs are told to go in and engage, and players, you don't know who ...
you're pushing around or grabbing, so that's a big difference."
The Pacers, meanwhile, also practiced under the assumption Walker would be in
the lineup.
"We had a lot of other things we needed to clean up today and some
adjustments we needed to make, and if something happens there, we'll have a plan
ready," Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said.
Walker's first technical on Thursday came in the third quarter after he
squared off against Stephen Jackson following another hard foul on O'Neal. He
also refused to talk about that confrontation or even the physical nature of the
game in general.
"There's nothing wrong with the game plan. There's nothing wrong with us.
We've just got to pick up the intensity and want it a little more," Walker said.
"We could make a lot of excuses. ... The bottom line is to try to win the game."
Paul Pierce led Boston with 19 points but played only 5 minutes and did not
score in the fourth quarter. He said the rough play was just part of the game,
especially in the playoffs.
"Guys are fighting for the same goal, and it's going to be a little more
heated than a regular-season game. There's going to be a lot of emotions going
on, so there's going to be hard fouls, there's going to be skirmishes, and
that's expected," Pierce said.
O'Neal said he watched a tape of the game when he got home Thursday night.
"Some of the fouls did come after the whistle," he said. "Some of the fouls,
I thought, were excessive, but I'm not going to take it personal. I don't think
anybody out there is really trying to kill anybody. They're trying to do things
that players do in the playoffs.
"I can't fault any of those guys, the guys taking shots at me. Who knows? I
probably would do it too if one of their main guys was hurt. It's just the
nature of the game."
Jackson, who injured his left knee in Monday's game at Boston, said it was
still sore but no worse than before.
"I feel if I stay on it and continue to work on it, it'll continue to get
stronger," he said. "I'm not complaining. I was able to do some good things last
night. I didn't score as much, but we won."
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