This Shot From the Elbow Is No Good for Malone

Karl Malone will sit out a game for the 11th time in his pro career Sunday night -- coincidentally, his first game against the Utah Jazz, his former team. The NBA suspended him Friday for elbowing Steve Nash in the face Thursday night in Dallas.

Malone was given a one-game suspension without pay and will not attend Sunday’s game at Staples Center. In 18-plus seasons, Malone had missed six games because of injury, four because of league suspensions.

There is no appeal process, though Malone could file a grievance to retrieve lost wages. Malone, whose salary is $1.5 million, will forfeit $16,666.67. Last season, his last with the Jazz, a game suspension would have cost him more than $214,000.

Malone could not be reached for comment Friday, a day off for the Lakers, who had an early-morning flight from Dallas. His agent, Dwight Manley, said he spoke to Malone on Friday evening and that Malone was angry “and disbelieving.”

“He said he did not intend to hit [Nash], and if he did, [Nash] would not have come back into the game,” Manley said. “He could have really hurt him and he didn’t. He’s shocked. He said he was clearing a space. [Nash] cursed at him, lunged at him and fouled him.”

Stu Jackson, NBA senior vice president of basketball operations, found that Malone’s action was intentional or negligent, or both. The Lakers disagreed.

“I know the league has a job to do and we’re all in this together,” Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. “I’m disappointed and I don’t agree with the suspension....

“As a big player, you’re taught to grab a rebound and be very aware of players in the area. We call it clearing space. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not happy a player got hurt and got stitches. To me, it was clearly unintentional.”

The incident occurred early in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 114-103 victory. Malone took a defensive rebound and Nash, on his way to the other end of the floor, swiped at the ball. Malone turned and caught Nash in the mouth with his right elbow.

Bloodied, Nash was taken to the Mavericks’ locker room, where Nash received two stitches on the inside of his lower lip. Nash returned later in the quarter.

Amid Maverick owner Mark Cuban’s plea for a stern penalty, NBA officials reviewed the play. Brian McIntyre, senior vice president for communications for the NBA, said the league -- notably Jackson -- routinely looks into such plays and that its interest in this case was unrelated to Cuban’s request.

“That was intentional and malicious,” Cuban told reporters after the Maverick loss. “And [Malone] should get at least three games.” Last week, Maverick forward Danny Fortson shoved an airborne Zarko Cabarkapa, broke the Phoenix Sun forward’s wrist and was suspended for three games, thus Cuban’s reference.

On Friday night, Cuban suggested that he was not satisfied with the NBA’s punishment and sought to establish a pattern of similar behavior by Malone.

“A game?” he asked in an e-mail. “Let’s see, he got one game when he gave Isiah Thomas 40 stitches, he got one game when he elbowed David Robinson and knocked him unconscious, he got one game when he elbowed Joe Kleine, who ended up needing plastic surgery; he got fined $10,000 for throwing an elbow and kicking at Shawn Bradley the same week I bought the team.

“Shawn Bradley was called for a technical after getting kicked in the stomach on one of Malone’s ‘kick jumpers.’ Bradley crumpled to the floor in pain. Malone was so repentant and sorry his comment was, ‘When a Volkswagen hits an 18-wheeler, what’s the result going to be?’ ... So I guess I’m happy that the NBA is once again consistent.”

It should be noted that Cuban attempted to sign Malone last summer when Malone was a free agent.

On Thursday night, Malone had explained his side of the incident.

“I’m entitled to turn,” he said. “I turn like that all the time.”

Malone questioned Nash’s motivation.

“I had the rebound,” he said. “You’re not going to get it. Why are you still hanging around?”

The Lakers, 16-3 and on an eight-game winning in part because of the 40-year-old Malone’s play, are preparing to face the Jazz on Sunday. Malone had been asked several times late in the week about taking the floor against his former teammates and a coach, Jerry Sloan, he holds in high regard.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Malone had said. “I’ve missed some of those guys on that team. It’s going to be a weird feeling to look over and see them. When that horn blows, though, I’ll block all that out.”

Turns out, he’ll do it from his couch in Newport Beach, and his first game against the Jazz will be Jan. 24 in Salt Lake City.

Malone last missed a game on Nov. 6, 2002, because of flu.