Lamar Odom Suspended for One Game

Lakers forward Lamar Odom received his punishment for leaving the bench after teammate Trevor Ariza’s flagrant foul on the Portland Trail Blazers’ Rudy Fernandez, he will miss tonight’s game in Houston while Ariza escaped suspension. The NBA’s Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, Stu Jackson, ruled that Odom left the “immediate vicinity” of the bench on Monday; his ruling will cost Odom about $104,000 in addition to his absence for the Lakers’ game against the Rockets.

Lakers’ General Manager Mitch Kupchak told the L.A. Times, “We’re disappointed with and we disagree with the league’s ruling.” Odom, who wasn’t available for comment, won’t be allowed in the Houston arena but will be back on the court when the Lakers play in San Antonio Thursday. Despite enduring their worst loss of the season and learning about Odom’s suspension, the Lakers did get some good news when the league said Ariza wouldn’t be suspended for his flagrant foul. NBA spokesman Tim Frank delivered the verdict: “Ariza will not be further disciplined. Every flagrant foul is revied to see if it warrants a suspension. This was determined not to be the case.”

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