NBA suspends Mavericks swingman Howard two games

Oct 19, 2007 - 5:47 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks was suspended two games without pay on Friday by the NBA for his involvement in an altercation with Sacramento Kings center Brad Miller.

The swingman will begin serving his suspension, which was announced by the league's executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson, when the Mavericks open the 2007-08 regular season against Cleveland on October 31.

The incident occurred with 7:01 remaining in the second period of the Mavericks' 101-99 victory over the Kings on Tuesday at Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Howard escalated a situation involving Miller and Mavericks' guard Devin Harris by running across the court, striking Miller in the back of the head with his forearm and pushing him in the back while engaging with other Kings' players.

Howard, 27, started 69 games for the Mavericks last season and averaged 18.9 points per game.