Artest sentenced to a work program

Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest was sentenced to community service and a work project after pleading no contest Thursday to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge in Auburn, Calif., stemming from a March 5 dispute with his wife.

Placer County Superior Court Judge Francis Kearney sentenced Artest to 100 hours of community service and a 10-day work project through the county sheriff’s department. Artest also was fined $600 and ordered to get extensive counseling.

Kearney modified the restraining order that has kept Artest away from his wife, Kimsha, and three children.

Artest will be allowed to have peaceful contact with his wife, and there are no restrictions on contact with his children.

Artest was charged with corporal injury to a spouse, battery, false imprisonment and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, all misdemeanors. He pleaded no contest to the first charge, while the others were dismissed, although they could be restored if he violates the terms of his three-year probation.

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Terry Lanni, MGM Mirage Inc.’s chief executive, said the February NBA All-Star game potentially hurt its earnings and soured the company on a franchise coming to Las Vegas.

The company said a 4% first-quarter earnings shortfall was partially due to the rowdy crowd that surrounded the All-Star game, which fell on the same weekend as Chinese New Year, a big one for Asian high-rollers.

“The gang-bangers and others who came for purposes other than attending the game, they weren’t very good for Las Vegas,” Lanni told the Associated Press.

“Mr. [NBA Commissioner David] Stern can keep his basketball franchises out of Las Vegas as far as I’m concerned.”

MGM Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman later said Lanni “only meant to refer to the All-Star game.”

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Golden State Warriors guard Jason Richardson was fined $35,000 by the NBA for improper interaction with a fan after Crockett Gambrel, 28, claimed Richardson swore at him and hit him when he fell out of bounds during Tuesday’s Game 5 loss at Dallas.... New Mexico State Coach Reggie Theus is the latest of at least five candidates to interview for the Charlotte Bobcats’ coaching position. General Manager Bernie Bickerstaff stepped down as coach after the season.... Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng (2,027 points) won the league’s sportsmanship award, edging Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier (2,005) in a vote by players. The Clippers’ Elton Brand (1,935) was fourth.