Quincy Acy suspended for one game without pay
Knicks forward Quincy Acy reacts after sinking a basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of a preseason game at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The NBA on Friday suspended the Knicks' Quincy Acy for one game without pay, meaning he will miss Saturday night's game against the Kings in Sacramento.
Acy was called for a flagrant foul 2 in Thursday's 102-91 loss to the Wizards, an incident that escalated when Wizards guard John Wall retaliated with a shove and Acy then wrapped his right arm around Wall's neck.
Nene and Kris Humphries of the Wizards were the first to separate the combatants. The Knicks' Carmelo Anthony later walked Acy away from further trouble but could not prevent him from being ejected.
Wall was fined $15,000 for his role in the skirmish.
After Thursday's game, Acy said he did not expect any further discipline from the NBA beyond the ejection, a wish that was not fulfilled. "I hope not," he said Thursday. "I mean, what was done wrong?"
Asked if he should have walked away from the confrontation, Acy said: "Walking away? He didn't have to push me."
Coach Derek Fisher acknowledged after the game that Acy "looked like he was winding up" to throw a punch at Wall, "but as his arm came around, it kind of came around the back side of it. So he didn't throw a punch at any point. Hopefully, the league will see it that way."
The 6-7 Acy, a second-year forward, played 12 minutes off the bench Thursday before being asked to leave. He is averaging 21.3 minutes, 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds this season.
With Acy sidelined, Amar'e Stoudemire might have to see more playing time Saturday night. The Knicks have been trying to limit his minutes.
Fisher said he did not think Acy was being intentionally provocative when he originally fouled Wall and added that he was trying to prevent yet another drive to the basket by the Wizards' dynamic point guard.
"I don't think any of our guys are built where they intentionally try to do things to hurt guys," Fisher said.
Asked about Acy's aggressive response, Stoudemire said, "He retaliated. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, the emotions take over and it's hard to control. I'm sure he knows that."
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
