DeMarcus Cousins suspended one game for forearm to head of Al Horford
The Sacramento Kings will be without their best player for Thursday’s matchup with the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. The NBA announced Thursday afternoon that DeMarcus Cousins has been suspended one game for “hitting Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford in the head with a forearm” with 2:00 left in the first quarter of Wednesday’s 103-97 Hawks home win.
[Play Yahoo Daily Fantasy and get a 100% deposit bonus with your first deposit]
Horford attempted to get referees’ attention in the immediate aftermath of the blow, but it was not caught and Cousins went unpunished. Take a look at the incident here:
Cousins finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds in the loss. He explained the moment with Horford after the game (via ESPN.com):
“It was basically a reaction. I was trying to get him off me because when I shot the shot I [got hit] in this area,” Cousins told reporters later, pointing to his neck and collarbone. “I was just trying to get him off.”
Regardless of the explanation, the incident and suspension bring yet another disciplinary action against Cousins, who is usually good for one or two of these per season. While some of these suspensions become more severe due to a somewhat undeserved reputation as a problem child, Cousins also has a tendency to act immaturely. He is a complicated personality who unfortunately has never been placed in a great position to succeed during his pro career.
[Follow Dunks Don’t Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball]
Thursday’s absence will mark Cousins’s fifth missed game of this young season. He had already sat four games due to a sore Achilles tendon.
– – – – – – –
Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
