Rockets' James Harden suspended one game for kicking LeBron James in groin

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

James Harden and LeBron James — Houston Rockets' James Harden (13) pushes against Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James (23) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 1, 2015, in Houston.
AP Photo/Pat Sullivan

HOUSTON -- The NBA has suspended Houston star James Harden one game without pay for kicking LeBron James in the groin.

The All-Stars and Olympic teammates became tangled in the third quarter of Houston's 105-103 victory over Cleveland on Sunday and Harden fell back to the court, then kicked his foot up into James.

Harden was given a flagrant foul 1 for the play, which the league upgraded Monday to a flagrant 2, which would have been an automatic ejection if called at the time.

An angry James said after the game that Harden's kick was "not a basketball play" and that the league would probably look at it.

Harden, the NBA's leading scorer and a top MVP candidate, won't play when the Rockets visit the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.