Dwight Howard has been criticized as much as he’s been lauded throughout his rollercoaster NBA career, so it’s fitting his 32-point, 30-rebound performance Wednesday night came with a twist.
The NBA announced Thursday that Howard has been suspended for one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the season in the Charlotte Hornets’ 111-105 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Hornets center will serve the suspension during Thursday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
By rule, a player or coach automatically is suspended without pay for one game once they receive their 16th technical foul during a regular season. The player or coach then automatically is suspended without pay for an additional game after every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season.
The suspension will cost Howard $162,069, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, but it’s especially noteworthy because it comes on the heels of Wednesday’s impressive performance. Howard became the first NBA player since 2010 — and the second since the 1981-82 season — to have a 30-30 game.
Kevin Love was the last player to accomplish the feat before Howard, scoring 31 points and grabbing 31 rebounds for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 12, 2010. Love’s effort was the first such performance since Moses Malone scored 38 points and snagged 32 rebounds for the Houston Rockets on Feb. 11, 1982.
