Dilllon Brooks given one-game suspension for Gary Payton II foul
The NBA Playoffs continue this week live on Sky Sports with Milwaukee Bucks vs Boston Celtics – Game 4, overnight on Monday night from 12.30am live on Sky Sports Arena & Main Event
Monday 9 May 2022 20:33, UK
Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks has been suspended for only one game for the play that resulted in a fractured elbow for Golden State's Gary Payton II in Game 2 of the the Western Conference Semi-finals.
The league announced the penalty on Thursday, so Brooks must sit out Saturday's Game 3 with the series shifting to Chase Center in San Francisco tied at one game apiece but many feel the punishment for making "unnecessary and excessive contact" with the Warriors guard should be more severe.
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Dubs coach Steve Kerr said Brooks "broke the code" and described the play as "dirty" and there has been an online clamour for the NBA to make an example of Brooks, for what they perceived to be a deliberately aggressive play.
The Grizzlies forward will be suspended without pay for Game 3, which will be shown live on Sky Sports Arena from 1.30am late on Saturday night, following the incident which happened with 9:08 left in the first quarter of Game 2 when Brooks clobbered him on the head and the guard fell awkwardly on his left arm. Brooks received a Flagrant 2 foul and was ejected.
The Warriors said that Payton also sustained ligament and muscle damage on the play. Payton underwent an MRI exam in the Bay Area on Wednesday and will be re-evaluated again in two weeks.
The NBA also announced on Thursday that Warriors forward Draymond Green was fined $25,000 for directing an obscene gesture at the Grizzlies fans. He stuck his middle finger up on both hands while going to the locker room to be examined for an injury in the first quarter of Golden State's 106-101 loss on Tuesday.
The rush of live NBA Playoffs games continues on Sky Sports this week - see the list of games here and subscribe to watch the live action.
