The NBA does not plan to take action against Mavericks center Brendan Haywood, who Magic coach Stan Van Gundy claims punched Dwight Howard in the back during Dallas’ 100-98 win over Orlando last Friday.
Van Gundy said the Magic sent video of the alleged incident to the league office, but apparently NBA officials saw no reason to discipline the veteran big man.
“Haywood just punched him literally with a closed fist right in the back,” Van Gundy told OrlandoMagic.com this past weekend.
But both Haywood and Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said they knew nothing of any punch.
"I guess Stan has that magical hand cam that he was taping with from the bench and he got something that no one else got," Haywood told NBA.com, "Dwight doesn't have a problem with me, I don't have a problem with Dwight. The only person that has a problem here is Stan."
Whitley: It's time for Van Gundy to bounce
Howard did not practice the day after the game and missed Sunday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets, which the Magic lost, 104-101, with back spasms. It was just the third game Howard has missed due to injury in his eight-year career. He made the trip to Detroit for Tuesday night’s game against the Pistons but did not participate in the morning shootaround, and his status for the game is uncertain, according to the Orlando Sentinel. (UPDATE: Howard did not play against the Pistons).
Meanwhile, Magic forward Ryan Anderson will not play against the Pistons because of a sprained right ankle, and point guard Jameer Nelson is a game-time decision with a sore left calf (UPDATE: Nelson also did not play).
The Magic have lost three straight heading into the Detroit game.
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