One night after grabbing a personal-best 30 rebounds, Charlotte Hornets center Dwight Howard will sit out Thursday's home game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Howard will serve an automatic one-game suspension for accumulating 16 technical fouls this season. The NBA announced the suspension early-afternoon. Howard received No. 16 early in the second half of Wednesday's 111-105 road victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Howard totaled 32 points and 30 rebounds Wednesday, the first such 30-30 game in the NBA since Kevin Love did it with the Minnesota Timberwolves in November 2010. That was just the third 30-rebound game in the NBA since 1996.
With Howard out, it's possible Willy Hernangomez, acquired shortly before the February trade deadline, could start Thursday. Backup center Cody Zeller has been out of late with soreness in his left knee. The Hornets list him as questionable for the Grizzlies game. Zeller did not play in any of the five consecutive road games that completed Wednesday in Brooklyn.
Under NBA rules, Howard would receive an additional one-game suspension if he is charged with two more technical fouls this season.
