The NBA delivered a one-game suspension and $10,000 fine toKarl "The Mailman" Malone who elbowed Pistons playmaker Isiah Thomasin the forehead Saturday night and opened a gash that required 40stitches. Malone drew a flagrant foul and was ejected.
The tote board included a $5,000 fine to Detroit guard DarrellWalker, ejected for coming off the bench and throwing a punch atMalone. The league added $500 fines to six players from each teamfor leaving the bench.
The Pistons screamed about what they believed was maliciousintent, a charge that angered Malone.
"It's ridiculous for the Pistons, of all people, to be accusingsomebody of dirty basketball," Malone said. "It was an accident. Iwas going to block the shot."
KAREEM HAS DOUBTERS: Although destined Hall of Fame center KareemAbdul-Jabbar has said he would be willing to come out of retirementto help the Lakers on the court and help former teammate MagicJohnson's campaign against AIDS off the court, Lakers GM Jerry Westreportedly is not enthused about the idea. Lakers insiders doubtthat Abdul-Jabbar could get back into effective playing shape, and,besides, West has never been a strong Abdul-Jabbar fan.
However, there is interest in Abdul-Jabbar from the RockfordLightning of the Continental Basketball Association. General managerTom Kayser said he had contacted West about the possibility ofAbdul-Jabbar playing for the Lightning before joining the Lakers.
"At 44, I think he can get to the NBA, but he needs time to getback in shape," Kayser said. "We think Rockford would be an idealplace for him to begin his comeback."
One possible drawback, though, is the CBA salary cap - $110,000per team for its 18-week season.
YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS . . .: NBA commissioner David Stern andoperations chief Rod Thorn have had enough of being haunted by thespirit of Christmas past.
So they changed the league's roster freeze date from the 56th dayof the season - Dec. 26 this year - to Jan. 10, the 71st day. That'sthe deadline for teams to release players to avoid guaranteeing thema full season's pay. Because the 56th day usually falls aroundChristmas, many players were being released on Christmas Eve.
"We just didn't think that was fair," Thorn said.
In 1987, Bulls operations chief Jerry Krause released ArtisGilmore on the road on Christmas Eve. "It was the most painful thingI ever had to do," Krause said.
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: Houston Rockets coach Don Chaney says he isgoing to stand behind starting playmaker Kenny Smith. Smith, whomissed training camp as a contract holdout, is shooting only 42percent after shooting 52 percent last season.
"He's my guy, Chaney said. "He showed last year he can be atop-caliber point guard."
NOTES: Charles Barkley can go on and be surprised now. With DaveHoppen, the Philadelphia 76ers' only white player, following MitchellWiggins to the injured list, the 76ers signed CBA standout MichaelAnsley and now have an all-black team after all. Ansley led the CBAby averaging 35 points and 11.7 rebounds for Birmingham.
The Heat's string of 108 consecutive sellouts was snappedWednesday night when it announced an attendance of 14,707 in the15,008-seat Miami Arena against Cleveland.
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