Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis. Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Kings center Domantas Sabonis suspended for making contact with official

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 3/9/22

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis has been suspended one game without pay for "aggressively confronting and making contact with a game official," the league said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/MZpwwRY3q4
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 9, 2022

Sabonis was ejected from Monday night's game against the New York Knicks after he disagreed with a technical foul and approached the official in an aggressive manner.

"The incident began with Sabonic receiving a technical foul for an unsportsmanlike reaction to a called foul," the league said of the episode, which happened with 4:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. "Sabonis then reacted demonstratively again in the vicinity of the game official, and approached and bumped the official in a hostile manner, resulting in a second technical foul and an ejection."

Domantas Sabonis was ready for that bump a referee fine coming his way. pic.twitter.com/KqSkC3WSKd
— Andrew Jones (@TWDTV1) March 8, 2022

Sabonis is averaging 17.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 11 games for the Kings since being traded from the Indiana Pacers at the deadline. He posted 19 points and 13 rebounds in Monday's game prior to being ejected.

New York defeated Sacramento 131-115.

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