Looks like Charles Barkley will have some extra time to trim his fingernails.
Barkley poked referee Jack Nies and opened a small cut on his nose Thursday night while arguing a non-call and getting ejected in the Houston Rockets' 115-101 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.A suspension seems almost certain for Barkley, who already served a one-game penalty for fighting with Charles Oakley during an exhibition game.
"I want to wait in the friendly confines of my home and wait until I get the call from New York," he said.
Asked to explain the cut on Nies, Barkley said: "I don't know. Maybe he blew his nose too hard."
It was vintage unrepentant Barkley, who blamed Nies for the skirmish.
"I think the officiating was terrible," Barkley said. "It was unprofessional of him. He said something I did not like. I didn't say anything."
In the Rockets' loss to the Spurs, their second straight against one of the league's cellar dwellers, there was 5:47 remaining in the fourth quarter when San Antonio's Will Perdue tied up Hakeem Olajuwon under the Houston basket.
Drexler and Barkley, each already with technical fouls, wanted a flagrant foul called. One was called a few minutes earlier against Houston's Kevin Willis.
"That was the same play on the other end and he called a flagrant," Barkley said. "He (Nies) turned around and went after me."
In the milling of shouting and gesturing players, Barkley's pointed finger found Nies' nose, sending a trickle of blood down the official's face and requiring medical attention at the Houston bench.
"It didn't look like Barkley was trying to hit the ref, but when he did, he hit him good," Robinson said.
Dominique Wilkins led San Antonio with 24 points.
Bulls 93, Hornets 72
At Charlotte, Michael Jordan scored 35 points in 36 minutes despite a bout with the flu and a confrontation with Anthony Mason.
Jordan hit 13 of 27 field-goal attempts on the way to his 14th 30-point game of the season, including his third in the last four.
Raptors 96, Bucks 93
Damon Stoudamire had 19 points, 12 assists and a key steal in the final minute. Doug Christie added 17 points and another important late steal, and reserves Carlos Rogers and Zan Tabak scored 16 points each.
Mavericks 105, Grizzlies 98
Derek Harper, filling in for injured Jason Kidd, scored seven of his 22 points during a 16-0 fourth-quarter run that carried Dallas at Vancouver. Harper finished 9-for-14 and had a team-high 11 assists as the Mavericks snapped a three-game losing streak.
Bullets 102, Clippers 93
At Los Angeles, Chris Webber took charge after Washington fell behind in the fourth quarter, scoring six of his 25 points in a 21/2-minute stretch. Webber also had nine rebounds and six assists.
Kings 112, Timberwolves 105
At Sacramento, Olden Polynice scored six of his 18 points in the final three minutes and Mitch Richmond scored 31 points as the Kings snapped a three-game losing streak with their highest point total of the season. Minnesota lost for the ninth time in 10 games.