Isiah Thomas lost his cool again, and this time it will keep him out of the lineup for at least a month.
Thomas, one of the NBA's most tempermental players, broke his right hand when he punched teammate Bill Laimbeer in the back of the head during practice Tuesday.He will be sidelined four to six weeks, said Dr. Ed Burke, who treated the injury.
The broken shooting hand was placed in a cast but won't require surgery. Neither player will be disciplined, The Oakland Press reported today.
Thomas broke a rib when he was elbowed by Laimbeer during a preseason practice Oct. 30. Witnesses said Thomas became angered Tuesday after absorbing another elbow from Laimbeer.
Neither Thomas nor Laimbeer - who along with Joe Dumars are the only remaining members of the Pistons' NBA championship teams of 1989 and 1990 - would comment.
Thomas and Laimbeer had to be separated after the 6-foot-11, 260-pound center elbowed the 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard. Laimbeer had turned away when Thomas punched him in the head, the Press said.
Coach Don Chaney restrained Laimbeer, who yelled at Thomas, "That's just basketball."
"I don't need to take that (expletive)," Thomas shouted back.
"Just leave the floor," Laimbeer replied. "Leave the floor."
Chaney spoke briefly to the team and then called off the rest of practice.
"It was an emotional situation and we regret it happened," the first-year coach said afterward. "We had a long flight and a really tough practice. Everyone's tired. Isiah took a hard hit and he just reacted. It was emotion."
Thomas is averaging 15.5 points and 10.3 assists this season, which began with two victories but was followed by four straight road losses going into tonight's home game against the Orlando Magic.
Laimbeer sat out Sunday's loss at Portland, serving a one-game suspension for a flagrant foul against Utah's Karl Malone.
"I'm sorry Isiah is not going to be playing," Magic guard Scott Skiles said from Orlando. "But in my opinion he couldn't have picked a better guy to punch."
Thomas was placed on the injured list. Rookie Lindsey Hunter will fill in at point guard.
"It's one of those things - if there's a silver lining in a cloud - it speeds up (Hunter's) development," player personnel director Billy McKinney said.