Dwight Howard suspended for one game after picking up 16th technical in 30-30 game

Charlotte Hornets center Dwight Howard was suspended for Thursday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies after picking up his 16th technical foul this season.

The NBA announced the penalty Thursday, noting that league rules require an automatic one-game suspension without pay for a player or coach who receives 16 technical fouls during the regular season.

After hitting that threshold, a player or coach will be suspended without pay automatically for another game for every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season.

Howard picked up his most recent technical with 10:48 left in Wednesday’s 111-105 win against the Brooklyn Nets.

He finished with 32 points and a franchise-record 30 rebounds, becoming just the eighth player in league history with a 30-30 game.

Etc.

Chicago Bulls guard Antonio Blakeney will miss the remainder of the season because of a broken bone in his left wrist. Blakeney was injured in Monday’s loss at New York. He scored six points on 3-for-10 shooting in Wednesday’s loss to Denver after being listed as questionable. The Bulls say an MRI on Thursday confirmed the fracture. Blakeney averaged 7.9 points in 19 games. …

The game between the Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks started after a 19-minute delay due to protesters who were locked arm-in-arm surrounding entrances to Golden1 Center. A massive crowd shut down nearby freeways and gathered in the surrounding streets to protest the police shooting of Stephon Clark, who was unarmed and in the back yard of his grandparents’ house Sunday night. According to reports, Clark was shot 20 times.