Dwight “I am still a champion” Howard will sit out the first game of the 2015-16 season due to a suspension, the NBA announced Friday morning.
Howard’s foul—a left forearm shiver that landed on Andre Iguodala’s throat in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals—was upgraded to a Flagrant 1.
HOU's D. Howard has common foul upgraded to Flagrant 1 (WCF Game 5, 3:35/qtr 4), suspended one game to open 2015-16 regular season.
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) May 29, 2015
It’s the big fella’s fourth Flagrant Foul point of the Playoffs, hence the one-game suspension.
From the press release:
The incident, which was upgraded from a common foul to a Flagrant Foul 1 upon league office review, occurred when Howard made unnecessary contact with his forearm to the neck area of Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala with 3:35 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 104-90 win over the Rockets on May 27 at Oracle Arena.
Howard will serve his suspension in the first game of the 2015-16 NBA regular season for which he is eligible and physically able to play.
In addition, Howard and the Warriors’ Andrew Bogut each had their technical fouls, assessed with 3:19 remaining in the second quarter of the same game, rescinded upon league office review.