Mourning, Mills & Johnson Suspended
Three players -- Larry Johnson and Chris Mills of New York and Alonzo Mourning of Miami -- were suspended by the NBA Friday for a fight at the end of Game 4 of the Knicks-Heat series.
All three players will be barred from Miami Arena on Sunday for Game 5, which will have a plot twist similar to last year when another fight led to several suspensions that had a severe impact on the outcome of the series.
Mourning and Johnson drew two-game suspensions for throwing punches, and Mills was suspended one game for leaving the bench area.
Mourning was fined $20,000, Johnson was fined $10,000 and Mills $2,500. Mourning drew the largest fine for throwing the first punch.
More coverage of Thursday night's fight:
Without 'Zo, Heat Look Elsewhere For Help
MIAMI -- Bashing Alonzo Mourning would be too obvious. A tremendous competitor, he wasn't able to withhold frustration for another two seconds Thursday night. Now that act might cost the Miami Heat this opening-round playoff series.The other minutes, though -- most of the 48 minutes -- were what did in the Heat during Game 4. The New York Knicks played basketball like their lives depended on it. For the purposes of this season, that was the case.
Heat coach Pat Riley on Friday said his players competed as if they had a "cushion" mentality. The Heat had earned the comfort level of a home-court edge based on being the No. 2 seed in the NBA Eastern Conference. They snatched it back from the Knicks in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. In the recesses of the Heat's collective thinking, they knew Mourning would be part of the foundation if a trip back to Miami for Game 5 were necessary.
CyberSpy: Knicks, Heat Fighting Again
Well, Spy can check out the calendar as well as the next gal or guy. And it does seem to read, "May Day."Or, in view of the latest spattering of bad blood between the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, should that be changed to, "Mayday!! Mayday!!"
Some would make that argument.
The Knicks and Heat had finished all of 47 minutes and 58.6 seconds of in-Zo-face playoff basketball in the great room, Madison Square Garden. Just as those hot pretzel vendors on 33rd & 7th were anticipating the flood of contented Knicks patrons leaving and relishing the home victory, Alonzo Mourning took one elbow too many from the Knicks' Larry Johnson.
Fight Mars Knicks' Game 4 Win
NEW YORK -- In an ending that was familiar, frantic and foolish, the New York Kniks and Miami Heat had another postseason fight that will have a major impact on their final game.Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson were involved in a nasty, punch-filled melee with only 1.4 seconds left in the Knicks' 90-85 victory Thursday night in Game 4.
This time, no one left the bench, but there were still be suspensions.
And this time, it will be Miami that stands to lose the most.
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