NEW YORK, March 3 (UPI) -- The NBA suspended Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers two games without pay and fined him $12,500 Sunday for throwing a punch and fighting with Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers at the end of Friday night's game between the teams.
Miller also received a two-game suspension and was fined $10,000 for retaliating against Bryant and fighting. Miller received the same number of games because it was his second suspension in as many weeks after he traded punches with Derrick Coleman of Philadelphia in a Feb. 22 game.
The focus of Friday's game was on O'Neal and Pacers center Brad Miller, who was punched by O'Neal in a Jan. 12 game between the Lakers and Chicago Bulls. O'Neal was suspended for three games and Brad Miller, who was acquired by Indiana before the trade deadline, received a one-game suspension.
Instead, Bryant and Reggie Miller engaged in a confrontation after the final buzzer of Los Angeles' 96-84 win. Bryant finished with 25 points while Miller had just five on 2-of-10 shooting when the two walked toward each other at midcourt and Bryant suddenly threw a punch.
Players from both teams became involved in the scuffle, which spilled onto the scorers' table near the Pacers' bench.
Although Bryant threw the first punch, he issued a statement through team spokesman John Black, saying, "If somebody comes at me, I'm going to defend myself."
Bryant will miss home games Sunday against Houston and Tuesday against New Jersey. Miller will miss Sunday's game at Sacramento and Tuesday's home game against Orlando.
