National Basketball Association roundup

[March 01, 2017]  Feb 28 (The Sports Xchange) - DeMarcus Cousins has been suspended one game without pay after the New Orleans Pelicans center received his league-leading 18th technical foul in Sunday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA announced Tuesday.

Cousins received the technical in the first quarter of the 118-110 loss to the Thunder. The three-time All-Star will miss the Pelicans' game against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.

Under NBA rules, a player or coach receives an automatic one-game suspension after accruing 16 technical fouls and a one-game ban for every two technical fouls after that.

Cousins, who was acquired from the Sacramento Kings in a blockbuster trade Feb. 20, is averaging 29.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks this season.

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Milwaukee Bucks forward Michael Beasley will miss at least the next three games after suffering a left knee injury during the second quarter of Monday's game at Cleveland.

Beasley, 28, underwent an MRI examination Tuesday morning that revealed a hyperextended left knee. He will miss games against Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto.

In 50 games that includes five starts, Beasley is averaging 9.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 17.1 minutes per contest.

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Denver forward Kenneth Faried will miss the next week to 10 days because of back and ankle injuries, according to the Denver Post.

With 23 games remaining and the Nuggets clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, Denver can ill afford to go very long with Faried in street clothes.

The 27-year-old has missed five of the Nuggets' past seven games, and Denver is 3-4 in that span.

In 49 games this season, Faried is averaging 9.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

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Washington Wizards forward Markieff Morris was fined $25,000 by the NBA for throwing a basketball toward a game official and into the stands, the league announced.

Morris was given a technical foul and ejected after the incident, which occurred with 7:31 left in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Utah Jazz.

Replays display Morris bouncing the ball in a soft manner in the direction of the official.

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The Los Angeles Lakers signed guard/forward David Nwaba to a 10-day contract.

Nwaba, 24, joins the Lakers from the team's Development League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, where he played 38 games and averaged 13.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. (Editing by Larry Fine) ))

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