Knicks Center Suspended

By Stephen M. Silverman

10/02/1997 at 12:00 AM EDT

New York Knicks center Marcus Camby was suspended by the National Basketball Association for five games and fined $25,000 for taking a vicious swing at San Antonio Spur Danny Ferry on Monday. (The Knicks won the game, 104-82.) Camby actually missed Ferry . . . but accidentally head-butted his coach, Jeff Van Gundy, who received at least 12 stitches above his left eye. Ferry, who ticked off Camby with a backhanded slap that cut the right eye of the Knicks' player, was suspended for one game without pay and fined $7,500. Camby's suspension is the longest in NBA history for a punch that did not make contact, notes The New York Times.