Metta World Peace suspended for striking Brandon Knight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ggRtTIwuYig

By Rob Mahoney

Metta World Peace continues to find new and exciting ways to warrant league-issued suspensions.

According to an NBA release, the Lakers forward will suffer a one-game penalty for an incident that took place on Sunday between World Peace and Pistons guard Brandon Knight. On the play, Knight had the misfortune of drawing World Peace on a box-out, and the two tussled for rebounding position. Shortly after, World Peace pulled Knight by the neck and appeared to give the much smaller Piston a quick jab to the chest, though due to the proximity of the players it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what transpired.

At the time, World Peace was assessed with a flagrant 1 foul following a lengthy video review, though the NBA's disciplinary officials have apparently seen fit to take further action. The release clarifies that World Peace was suspended on the grounds of "... grabbing [Knight] around the neck and striking him in the jaw," and that he will serve his one-game term during Tuesday night's game against the Brooklyn. That complicates things for the playoff-hopeful Lakers, who will take on a solid Nets team without two of their top three players (Dwight Howard will also miss the game with persisting shoulder pain) in terms of minutes per game.

Eye on Basketball