General manager Vlade Divac expects the NBA to discipline Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins for his temper tantrum on the court Monday.
Cousins was healthy for the first time in three meetings with the Golden State Warriors this season but found foul trouble early and wound up playing only 13 minutes before getting ejected.
After sitting out most of the first half in foul trouble while Sacramento built a lead of 11 in the second quarter, Cousins lost his cool after getting called for his fifth foul in the third quarter. Official Monty McCutchen called a technical on Cousins for the outburst and that enraged him further. The outburst led to another technical and an ejection. Cousins had to be restrained by teammates and was escorted off the court.
---Utah Jazz guard Alec Burks was to undergo surgery in Salt Lake City to aid the healing process of his broken left leg.
Dr. Charles L. Saltzman, an ankle and foot specialist who is chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics at University of Utah Health Care, was to perform the procedure. Burks was injured during a fall in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 23. The team said Burks will stay in Salt Lake City for rehabilitation and then will go with the Jazz on road trips after he receives clearance from the medical staff.
Burks, a fifth-year guard, was averaging a career-high 14.3 points and a career-best 38.7 percent on 3-point shooting and also 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 28 games. His 14.4 points per game as a reserve rank third in the NBA.
---Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe had season-ending surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.
The Suns said in a statement that Bledsoe' prognosis "is for a return to full playing status for the start of training camp next fall."
Bledsoe, the Suns' leading scorer, sustained the injury on Saturday during a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. He was averaging 20.4 points and 6.1 assists in 31 games this season as a starter.
---The Memphis Grizzlies signed center Ryan Hollins and waived guard Russ Smith.
The 7-foot Hollins, 31, was with the Grizzlies during training camp and averaged 5.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in seven games. He most recently played in five games for the Washington Wizards, starting three times, before he was waived on Dec. 23.
The 24-year-old Smith was acquired by the Grizzlies in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans last January. He averaged 2.0 points and 0.7 assists in 27 career games with the Grizzlies and Pelicans.
---Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook has drawn his fair share of technical fouls through the years and he's not going to take them anymore. The emotional Westbrook isn't getting mad, he's trying to harness his emotions on the court.
Last season, Westbrook drew more technicals (17) than any other player in the NBA and he rationalized after reviewing each during the offseason that the referees didn't change the call on any of them after his protests.
Westbrook hasn't gone completely cold turkey, drawing four technicals this season, which is tied for ninth most in the NBA. But he appears to be harnessing his emotions better in an attempt to cut down on the 52 technicals he received during the past four seasons.
