http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1073372394319420.xml Hornets News Lynch, Magloire fined $10,000 setback is cost to Hornets duo Tuesday January 06, 2004 By Jimmy Smith Staff writer The three players who were ejected for their parts in a scuffle during the fourth quarter of Saturday night's Hornets-Pacers game are a little lighter in the pocketbook but not quite as light as they could have been. Hornets forward George Lynch and center Jamaal Magloire and Indiana forward Al Harrington were each fined $10,000 by the league Monday, but all avoided suspensions, apparently because no punches were thrown during the skirmish. NBA rules mandate suspensions, which result in loss of game checks, for players deemed guilty of delivering blows during brawls, or for leaving the bench area to join in an altercation. After reviewing game tapes and interviewing the parties involved, NBA senior vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson levied the fines instead. Before learning of the punishment neither Lynch nor Hornets coach Tim Floyd thought suspensions were warranted. "If you look at the tape," Lynch said Monday, "I'm standing there with the ball in my hand, and there was no punches thrown. Guys who weren't in the game and got into the fight, those are the ones who should be suspended." Had the players been suspended, they would have forfeited game checks for each game missed. Harrington would have lost the most. He earns $5.69 million this season. Suspension from a game would have cost him approximately $69,000. Based on his $2.8 million salary, Lynch could have lost about $34,000 per game. Magloire, who earns $1.726 million this year, would have forfeited about $21,000. "Nothing really happened," Lynch said Monday, following the Hornets' brief workout at the Alario Center, where three players, including Magloire, were absent because of a stomach virus. "When everybody was standing in front of their bench, there were so many guys pushing each other that we fell into the bench. No punches were thrown. Nothing happened where somebody should be suspended. "I don't think I should be suspended a game for that. If that's the case, next time something like that happens, I'm going to get me a punch in." It took coaches from both benches and Conseco Fieldhouse security personnel to quell the incident, which began with 9:15 remaining and the Pacers leading 75-57. With 9:23 remaining, Harrington, guarded by Hornets forward Steve Smith, was charged with an offensive foul, a call to which he took exception. Harrington fouled Lynch, whom he was guarding, next trip down. Words were exchanged, and the incident escalated. Floyd said Monday he believed the league should use Lynch's behavior during the episode as an example on how to comport oneself if faced with that situation. "He merely kept a ball underneath his arm, kept an arm up to brace himself against an aggressor and, short of sitting there and taking one in the chops, I don't know what you do," Floyd said. Floyd said he thought Magloire was acting within the scope of the rule that allows players who are on the floor to act as peacemakers when he went behind the bench to help extricate Lynch, who was buried under a group of Pacers players. Lynch and Floyd said Saturday's events should spice up the remaining two regular-season meetings between the teams, on Feb. 17 in Indianapolis, and 10 days later at New Orleans Arena. "I think it adds some intrigue as a result of the competitive nature of the game," Floyd said. NOTE: Floyd expected to have a full-scale practice Monday, but he had a manpower shortage. Baron Davis, P.J. Brown and Magloire were absent because of a stomach virus, which also affected Sean Rooks, though Rooks dressed for work. Floyd said several other players were bothered by stomach discomfort, so players did little other than free-throw and field-goal shooting drills. . . . . . . . Jimmy Smith can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3814. --

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