Wizards’ Oubre suspended for Game 4
League bans forward for knocking down Celtics’ Olynyk
Washington Wizards forward Kelly Oubre Jr. was suspended for Game 4 against the Boston Celtics after charging and knocking over Kelly Olynyk in Game 3.
The NBA on Saturday announced Oubre’s suspension without pay for “charging and making forceful and unwarranted contact.” Game 4 is Sunday in Washington.
Oubre called the suspension a consequence of his actions.
“I’m not surprised,” Oubre said after practice Saturday. “The league has to do what they have to do. They have to handle that situation.”
Oubre’s outburst in the second quarter of Game 3 on Thursday resulted in a flagrant 2 foul and an ejection. Olynyk knocked him to the ground on an illegal screen, and Oubre leapt to his feet, sprinted at him and bowled him over.
The 21-year-old said he apologized to referee Monty McCutchen, who was talking to Olynyk at the time of the incident. Oubre said he did not reach out to apologize to Olynyk.
Washington coach Scott Brooks said he respects the league’s decision and figured a suspension could be coming. Now he must decide how to approach Game 4 as his team trails Boston 2-1 in the second-round series.
“We’ve had a next man up mentality all year,” Brooks said. “We’ve got options, we can move some people around. But not having him, it’s not ideal, but it is what it is. You just go forward and play the game. You can’t worry about who’s not playing.”
Brooks could find more minutes for Bojan Bogdanovic after the sharpshooting forward scored 19 points in the Wizards’ 116-89 victory in Game 3. Or he could plug another player into the rotation such as Jason Smith.
Raptors: All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry says he’s doubtful to play for Toronto on Sunday in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Lowry has a sprained left ankle. He attempted to warm up before Game 3 on Friday before the determination was made that he could not play.
Lowry said trying to play likely made the ankle worse.
The Raptors trail the series 3-0. No team in NBA history has successfully rallied from such a deficit.
“Hopefully some things change, but right now I don’t think I’ll be able to play,” Lowry said.
Pistons: Center Andre Drummond said he recently underwent nose surgery in New York City to repair a deviated septum that was first injured while he played at UConn, where he spent one season before entering the NBA draft in 2012.
“(I’ve) been playing with my right nostril for four years because I ended up (injuring my nose) some more after my second season,” Drummond told the Detroit Free Press. He said the deviated septum injury grew worse and breathing became a chore.