One-Game Suspension for Murray

In the dog days of another long, frustrating Clipper season, forward Lamond Murray gets tonight off, courtesy of NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Murray has been suspended for one game without pay by the league and fined $7,500 for exchanging punches with Seattle SuperSonic forward Jerome Kersey in Wednesday’s game at Seattle. Kersey received the same punishment and sat out Friday night’s game against the Lakers at the Great Western Forum.

Based on Murray’s salary of $2.9 million for this season, the financial penalty comes out to $35,365 for the game, or a total of $42,865 when the fine is added in.

“It was fair,” Murray said. “Things happen, but you have to be prepared to deal with the consequences.”

Murray wasn’t willing to talk about the incident any further, not after having to watch it so many times on so many TV channels.

“It’s been played over and over again,” he said.

Murray, 24, was certainly not looking for any time off. This may be another dismal season for the Clippers, but it has not been so for the former California player.

He has the second highest scoring average on the team at 15.2 points, which is more than five points higher than his career mark before the season of 10.1.

*

The Clippers hosted the sixth annual Teamup With Pride Jam Friday night at the Sports Arena. About 10,000 kids, invited free of charge because of their participation in community outreach programs, were treated to a night of musical entertainment.

TONIGHT

vs. Cleveland

* 7:30

* Channel 9

Site--Sports Arena.

Radio--KEZY-FM (95.9), LITE-FM (92.7).

Records--Clippers 15-51, Cavaliers 36-30.

Record vs. Cavaliers (1996-97)--0-2.

Update--With a month to go in the season, these teams are meeting for the first time with the rematch scheduled for Cleveland on April 5. The Cavaliers have won the last two at the Sports Arena, five in a row overall against the Clippers and eight of the previous nine. Cleveland, in contention for at least the sixth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, has won three in a row.