By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Suspensions and fines handed out by the NBA in the aftermath of the first fight of the 2022-23 NBA Regular Season extended to Serbian Nikola Jovic.
Jovic, 19, was suspended for one game for leaving the bench and entering the scuffle, the NBA announced Sunday. The players battling each other, Caleb Martin was suspended and Christian Koloko was fined.
Per the press release: “Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin has been suspended for one game without pay for instigating an on-court altercation by taunting Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko and then tackling him into the spectator stands, and Koloko has been fined $15,000 for grabbing Martin during the altercation, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
Heat forward Nikola Jovic has also been suspended one game without pay for leaving the bench area and entering the altercation. The incident, for which Martin and Koloko were each assessed one technical foul and ejected, began when the players became entangled while battling for rebounding position. The incident occurred with 7:46 remaining in the third quarter of the Heat’s 112-109 win over the Raptors at FTX Arena on Oct. 22.
Martin and Jovic will serve their suspensions on Monday, Oct. 24 when the Heat again host the Raptors at FTX Arena.”
Held out of the rotation over the three first games, the promising upstart has yet to debut in the Regular Season. He was selected with the 27th overall pick of the 2022 draft.
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