FILE — Udonis Haslem #40 of the Miami Heat and Dwight Howard #39 of the Philadelphia 76ers are involved in a scuffle during the second quarter at American Airlines Arena on May 13, 2021 in Miami, Florida. Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard served a one-game league suspension Friday night after picking up his 16th technical foul of the season in Thursday night’s loss to the Miami Heat.
The Sixers clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race with a 122-97 victory over the undermanned Orlando Magic.
Howard, who began his career with the Magic (2004-12), was assessed his 16th technical with 10:19 remaining in the second quarter of the Sixers’ 106-94 loss.
Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game.
An eight-time All-Star and three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the 35-year-old Howard is averaging 7.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in 68 games (five starts) in his first season with Philadelphia.