Coleman Is Suspended

Derrick Coleman of the Philadelphia 76ers was suspended for one game without pay and fined $7,500 on Monday for throwing a punch at Karl Malone.

Philadelphia Coach Larry Brown, who complained about the officiating, also was fined $7,500 by the NBA.

Coleman will miss the 76ers’ game Wednesday at Phoenix.

The suspension and fines stemmed from Saturday’s game at Utah and were announced by NBA vice president of operations Stu Jackson.

Malone grabbed a rebound near Philadelphia’s basket with 6:41 remaining in the third quarter and got tangled with Coleman. Malone threw an elbow and the two bumped. The play was ruled a double technical until Coleman punched Malone in the arm. Coleman immediately was whistled for another technical and thrown out.

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Memphis center Bryant Reeves will miss the rest of the season because of chronic back pain.

Reeves, the franchise’s career leader in games played, has degenerative discs and has not played during the regular season. He appeared briefly during the exhibition season.

The NBA has awarded Memphis a $4.5-million injury exception, or salary cap cushion. That means the Grizzlies can sign a player or accept a package in which salaries do not exceed that amount.

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Former NBA standout Clyde Drexler was hired as an assistant coach by the Denver Nuggets. Drexler, who originally joined the team in September as a special assistant to the general manager, joins the staff of interim coach Mike Evans.