Dwight Howard Should Be Suspended For Punching Andrew Bogut in the Face [UPDATE]
Dwight Howard should probably be suspended for this incident during Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. Howard was tangled up with Warriors’ center Andrew Bogut and then threw an elbow/punch that hit Bogut in the face. The play was very similar to the incident that got J.R. Smith an ejection from Game 4 against the Celtics, and a two-game suspension.
Both plays featured contact to the head with a closed fist. Both punches were in retaliation to a shove in the back. J.R. Smith was ejected. Dwight Howard was given a flagrant-1.
The actions were equal. It just so happens that Bogut wasn’t knocked out like Crowder. And he didn’t do the inherently NBA thing and flop. He has however pledged to avoid headbutting Howard’s elbows for the rest of the series. Not that Howard should be around to throw any.
Andrew Bogut said he got hit in the temple: "It’s just the same ones as I’ve been trying to dodge the last 4 games. This one just hit me."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) May 26, 2015
Bogut didn't want to second-guess ruling of Howard's flagrant one. Did say he would "try not to head-butt elbows again."
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) May 26, 2015
UPDATE: Per Brian Windhorst, the NBA has announced Howard will not be suspended for Wednesday night’s Game 5.