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Waltham, Mass. • Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo was suspended for the third time this calendar year on Thursday when the NBA told him to sit out two games without pay for starting a skirmish that sent players sprawling into the courtside seats.
Rondo will miss Friday night's game against the Portland Trail Blazers and Sunday's against the Bucks in Milwaukee. He will also give up $200,000 in pay.
Celtics center Kevin Garnett was fined $25,000 for his role in the scuffle, and Nets forward Gerald Wallace was fined $35,000.
Rondo was thrown out of Wednesday night's 95-83 loss to the Nets in the second quarter when he shoved Nets forward Kris Humphries off the parquet to retaliate for a hard foul on Garnett. A shoving match ensued; Rondo, Humphries and Wallace were all ejected.
Rondo spoke with the league on the telephone on Thursday and made his case.
"I told them the truth," he said after practice at the Celtics' workout facility in suburban Boston. "I don't think I did anything dirty. I didn't try to start a riot. I don't think it was more than just a pushing war."
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said in the afternoon that he was hopeful Rondo would not be suspended because no punches were thrown — or at least none caught on camera. But he said he feared the fact that the scuffle went into the stands could lead to a suspension.
The decision was announced shortly before 6 p.m. by NBA disciplinarian Stu Jackson.
Nets general manager Billy King said on a conference call that he didn't agree with the penalties and told Jackson so. He noted that Humphries had scratches all over his left shoulder; the Nets forward posted a picture of them on Twitter with the caption, "Anyone know where I can quick get a Tetnis shot in Boston?"
Earlier, Rivers said on a radio show that he blamed Humphries for the incident. But the referees disagreed, with crew chief James Capers saying in a pool report after the game: "Rondo initiated everything that proceeded after the foul."