Mavericks’ DeJuan Blair Suspended One Game For Kicking Tiago Splitter In The Head

Dallas Mavericks player DeJuan Blair has been suspended for Game 5 after kicking San Antonio Spurs’ Tiago Splitter in the head. 

Via Bleacher Report

Kicking is for soccer not basketball, and DeJuan Blair found that out the hard way in the wake of the Dallas Mavericks’ 93-89 Game 4 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. 

Blair is suspended for Game 5 of the series, which is particularly difficult for his team given the fact that things are all knotted up at two games apiece.

In the final minutes of a tightly contested game, Blair fell to the ground and kicked the Spurs’ Tiago Splitter.

Blair was given a technical foul and ejected, which proved costly for his team down the stretch.

According to Blair, he didn’t mean to kick Splitter in the head. It was just a reaction to the ref’s call. 

“It was just an accident,” Blair said. “I reacted to the call and his face happened to be down there. It was nothing intentional, especially the way I had been playing. I’m not that dumb to do something like that in the heat of the game when I know I changed it. It was totally an accident.”

While I definitely understand that tensions are high during playoff season, players have to be incredibly careful to not do something stupid that may cost their entire team the win.

Check out the kick below. Accident?