NBA Clips Birdman's Wings: Andersen Out For Gm. 6
MIAMI (CBS4/AP) — The NBA has suspended Miami Heat forward Chris "Birdman" Andersen for one game after an altercation with Indiana's Tyler Hansbrough in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Andersen's flagrant one foul was upgraded to a flagrant two. In a statement released Friday night, NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Stu Jackson said Andersen, "knocked Indiana Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough to the floor, escalated the altercation by shoving Hansbrough, and resisted efforts to bring the altercation to an end."
Andersen will serve his suspension Saturday, when the Heat travel to Indianapolis for Game 6.
Earlier Friday, Commissioner David Stern said Andersen's shove merited an ejection.
Stern made the remarks to NBC Sports Radio for an interview scheduled to air Sunday. Andersen was called for a flagrant-1 after shoving Hansbrough in the second quarter of Thursday's game. A flagrant-1 does not carry ejection as a consequence.
Stern says he didn't know what Andersen was doing on that play, and that "a serious review of his activities is called for," according to the network.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, speaking Friday before Stern's comments were released, says that the team has not yet heard if the league will bring additional penalties against Andersen.
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