New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - DeMarcus Cousins' latest episode of anger has earned the Sacramento Kings center a one-game suspension by the NBA, the league announced Thursday.
Cousins was ejected in the third quarter of Tuesday's game against Houston for punching Rockets guard Patrick Beverley in the stomach. He then engaged in a heated argument with the game officials prior to finally exiting to the locker room, which drew a $20,000 fine for verbally abusing a referee and failing to leave the court in a timely manner.
The volatile fourth-year pro received two technical fouls for his actions, bringing his league-leading total to 15 this season. By NBA rules, Cousins will be handed one-game bans for any additional technicals he incurs over the remainder of the campaign.
Cousins, Sacramento's leading scorer (22.3 ppg) and rebounder (11.5 rpg), will sit out Friday's road game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.