NBA: Rockets guard Lawson gets two-game drink driving ban

FILE – Kostas Papanikolaou #16 of the Denver Nuggets tips in a rebound for a basket against Ty Lawson #3 of the Houston Rockets as Donatas Motiejunas #20 of the Houston Rockets and Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets follow the play at Pepsi Center on December 14, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. The Nuggets defeated the Rockets 114-108. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images/AFP

Houston Rockets guard Ty Lawson has been suspended two games without pay by the NBA for drink driving, the league announced Friday.

Former Denver Nuggets guard Lawson was charged last January with drunken driving, speeding and other violations. He pleaded guilty last month in Colorado to driving while impaired and faces up to 180 days in jail when sentenced next month.

After another drink driving arrest last July in Los Angeles, Lawson was ordered to complete a rehabilitation program. He was also traded from the Nuggets after six seasons in Denver to Houston.

Lawson, 28, begins his suspension on Saturday when the Los Angeles Clippers visit Houston. He will also miss Houston’s home game Monday against Charlotte before returning next Wednesday at Orlando and ahead of a December 25 home game against San Antonio.

At 13-14, the Rockets are seventh in the Western Conference but nine games behind the pace-setting Spurs in the Southwest division.

Lawson is averaging 5.9 points, 4.2 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals a game. For his NBA career, Lawson is averaging 13.7 points, 6.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds a game.