Artest Is Suspended for Tonight’s Game 2

Ron Artest’s reputation might have caught up to him at a bad time for the Sacramento Kings.

The NBA suspended Artest on Monday for tonight’s Game 2 of the Kings’ first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs.

Stu Jackson, NBA vice president, said Artest’s elbow to Manu Ginobili’s head in the series opener was egregious enough to warrant another suspension for the player who sat out 73 games and the playoffs last season after one of the most infamous brawls in sports history.

The Kings even suggested that Artest was punished simply for being Ron Artest.

“You know with Ron’s questionable past, they’re going to look for a way to get him,” said Bonzi Wells, who will get many of Artest’s defensive assignments. “Whether it’s minor or major, they’re going to look at it in a different way.”

Artest practiced Monday before learning of the suspension.

“I talked to Stu Jackson, which was encouraging,” Artest said in a brief, apologetic statement after practice. “There have been a lot of things that have happened in my career which [were] unfair. I support my teammates, and hopefully they’ll win the game, and I’ll be back Friday” for Game 3.

Kevin Martin will replace Artest in the lineup.

*

With his pleas of innocence falling on deaf ears, Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem was suspended by the NBA for Monday’s Game 2 against the Chicago Bulls after throwing his mouthpiece toward referee Joey Crawford in the series opener.

Haslem called Jackson, the NBA executive, after being ejected Saturday to insist that he did not try to hit Crawford with the mouthpiece. His team expressed displeasure and disappointment in the punishment.

“I’ve got to watch out what I say,” Heat Coach Pat Riley said. “I thought the ejection was more than enough of a penalty.”

Haslem was ejected with 4:11 left in the opening half of Game 1 after winding up on the floor after jostling with three Bulls for an offensive rebound, and -- incensed over no foul being called -- reaching for his mouthpiece and throwing it in Crawford’s direction while play was headed the other way.

*

Detroit Piston guard Richard Hamilton did not practice a day after spraining his left ankle in a Game 1 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, but the team expects him to be ready for Wednesday’s Game 2.

Hamilton was hurt when he stepped on the foot of Buck center Andrew Bogut in the fourth quarter but stayed in the game before leaving later in pain.