BOSTON — It’s a good thing for the Boston Celtics that the NBA rescinded center Kendrick Perkins’ technical foul and nixed his suspension.
He might be the only big man they have left. Perkins was ejected from Boston’s 113-92 loss to Orlando in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night after picking up two technicals in the first half. The league rescinded one Thursday, clearing Perkins to play in tonight’s Game 6 when Boston tries for the third time to eliminate the Magic and advance to the NBA Finals.
“It’s another closeout game on their home court,” Magic forward Rashard Lewis said. “I think the game on Friday will most definitely be the hardest game of the playoffs that we’ve ever faced.”
Backup Glen “Big Baby” Davis was diagnosed with a concussion and is likely to miss tonight’s game after blacking out on the court from an inadvertent elbow to the face in Game 5.
Hawks owner fined.
Hawks owner Michael Gearon was fined $25,000 for making comments that violated the NBA’s anti-tampering rules.
Gearon was fined for comments that appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on May 19, when he said he’d be willing to subject the team to the luxury tax if it could sign Cleveland’s LeBron James to a maximum contract. Gearon also discussed Miami’s Jermaine O’Neal and Cleveland’s Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Footnotes.
Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson will serve two years probation as part of his sentence on drunken driving charges.
Jefferson pleaded guilty to fourth-degree driving while impaired. He was arrested Feb. 28 in Minneapolis.
• Arthur Boyd, 32, a friend of Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph, faces drug charges after Indianapolis police said they found him driving the star’s vehicle with a container of marijuana.
