NEW YORK – Magic center Dwight Howard was suspended one game by the NBA for receiving his 18th technical foul of the season and Orlando guard Quentin Richardson received a two-game suspension for shoving Charlotte's Gerald Henderson in the face.
Howard received a technical Wednesday night in the second quarter against the Bobcats and it was upheld by the league Thursday.
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 receives an automatic one-game suspension.
Richardson and Henderson got into an altercation with 8:30 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Magic's 111-102 victory in Charlotte.
Howard and Richardson will sit out Sunday's nationally televised game against East-leading Chicago.
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