Apr 19, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson (14) and San Antonio Spurs forward Rudy Gay (22) get into a shoving fight in the fourth quarter at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA on Wednesday suspended Indiana Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson and fined two San Antonio Spurs players for their roles in Monday night’s altercation in Indianapolis.
Sampson was suspended for one game without pay for headbutting Spurs guard Patty Mills in the fourth quarter of San Antonio’s 109-94 win.
“The incident began when Sampson and Mills were battling for rebounding position,” the league said in a news release. “It continued to the next possession when Mills made contact with Sampson and Sampson shoved Mills. Sampson then furthered the altercation by aggressively confronting and headbutting Mills. Sampson’s actions resulted in a Flagrant Foul 2 and an automatic ejection.”
Mills, who received a technical foul, was fined $25,000.
Spurs forward Rudy Gay also drew a technical foul and was fined $20,000 for escalating the incident by shoving Sampson.
Sampson will serve his suspension Wednesday night when the Pacers host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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–Field Level Media