Maxwell’s Penalty for Punch: at Least 10 Games and $20,000

NEW YORK — Vernon Maxwell of the Houston Rockets was suspended for at least 10 games and fined $20,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for walking into the stands and punching a heckler during a game at Portland.

The fine matched the highest in league history and the suspension was the second longest.

Rod Thorn, the NBA’s vice president for operations, said the case is unprecedented in his 10 years in the league.

“We’ve never had anybody go into the stands, unless it was a fight among players that spilled over into the seats,” he said.

Maxwell must meet with league personnel during his suspension. A decision will then be made regarding his return to active status after 10 games have passed.

The suspension, without pay, began with Wednesday night’s game at Sacramento. Maxwell’s ejection from the Portland game Monday night carries an additional automatic $1,000 fine.

Thorn announced the decision after league officials viewed videotape from a free-lance television cameraman. People who have seen the video say it clearly shows Maxwell connecting a right-handed punch to the jaw of 35-year-old Steve George.

Maxwell, who has a notoriously bad temper, ran a dozen rows into the stands to get at George during the third quarter of Houston’s 120-82 loss to Portland.

The only longer suspension in league history was handed to Kermit Washington of the Lakers. He was suspended 26 games during the 1977-78 season for punching Rudy Tomjanovich, who is now the Rockets’ coach.