THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — Clippers longtime play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler and colour analyst Michael Smith were suspended one game by the Fox Sports Prime Ticket cable network for their comments about Memphis centre Hamed Haddadi.
Lawler and Smith made their off-the-cuff comments about the Iranian-born centre during Wednesday night’s telecast from Memphis. The on-air banter offended a viewer who called Fox to complain.
The duo did not work Friday’s night telecast against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center. Michael Eaves and Don MacLean, who regularly serve as halftime and post-game analysts on the Clippers telecasts, substituted for Lawler and Smith at courtside.
Lawler is in his 31st season doing Clippers games, and Smith is in his 12th.
