WASHINGTON -- Washington Wizards reserve forward Darius Songaila was suspended by the NBA for Game 6 of a playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night for hitting LeBron James in the face with his hand.
Songaila and Wizards coach Eddie Jordan have said the contact was accidental. Songaila was called for a technical foul, the latest in what has been a rough-and-tumble series.
Songaila, averaging 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 15.4 minutes during the series, participated in Washington's shootaround at its arena Friday morning, before the league announced the suspension.
He made contact with James' face in the first quarter of Washington's 88-87 win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday in Game 5. That victory allowed Washington to cut Cleveland's lead to 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.
"We got tangled up, my arm got caught inside of his, and when he tried to free himself, it was just an accident. He lifted my arm and it him right in the face. It was caused by him," Songaila said Thursday. "It wasn't my intention or anything like that. If anything, it was an accident."
Jordan watched video of the play and his opinion hadn't changed.
"I stand my ground. I thought he got tangled up with LeBron, and LeBron tried to get untangled. And in his method of trying to get untangled, Darius' arm just flew at his chin," Jordan said Thursday. "And LeBron's a terrific actor. We've seen some of his commercials."
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