Trail Blazers suspend forward Darius Miles
1/28/2005, 10:29 p.m. PT
By ANNE M. PETERSON
The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers forward Darius Miles was
suspended by the team for two games Friday after an argument with coach
Maurice Cheeks during a film session the day before.
The Blazers suspended Miles for conduct detrimental to the team and
insubordination. Without him, Portland beat the Los Angeles Clippers 90-86
Friday night.
"I am disappointed that we've had this distraction to deal with today,"
Blazers president Steve Patterson said in a statement. "We expect a certain
behavior from everyone in our organization, and what happened yesterday is
not acceptable behavior."
The Trail Blazers would not comment on the nature of the confrontation,
except to say there was one. According to The Oregonian newspaper, Miles
repeatedly called Cheeks a racial epithet.
"He blew up in the film session," said Cheeks, who characterized Miles'
comments as inappropriate.
Messages left for Miles' Florida-based agent, Jeff Wechsler, were not
returned on Friday.
In a statement released by the Blazers, Miles said: "Things were said in
frustration and I am sorry for that. It is very important to me that our fans
understand that I am committed to winning and that the losses we have had
this season have been difficult for all of us. My entire focus when I return
to the team will be on winning and helping us make a run for the playoffs."
He did not apologize to Cheeks in the statement. General manager John Nash
wouldn't comment on that, but said, "Darius will be welcomed back to the team
at the conclusion of the suspension."
After the game against the Clippers, center Theo Ratliff said: "Cheeks is a
great guy. He hates when is comes to something like this with the players,
because he's all for the players."
Miles, who signed a six-year, $48 million contract with the Blazers in the
offseason, will also sit out Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers at
the Staples Center.
Miles was not at the team's shootaround Friday morning at the Rose Garden
Arena. He recently missed eight games because of a bone contusion in his left
knee.
Miles was activated last Saturday before the Blazers' 92-83 loss at home to
the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He has appeared in 32 games this season, with 10 starts. He was averaging
12.9 points and five rebounds. He has not started since he was activated from
the injured list.
Entering Friday night's game, the Blazers had lost 13 of their last 16 games
as they struggled with a spate of injuries. In addition to Miles, the Blazers
recently lost top scorer Zach Randolph for five games with a knee injury, and
forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim continues to sit out, following elbow surgery.
The Blazers are working to clean up an image that has been marred in recent
years by player misconduct both on and off the court.
Bonzi Wells was suspended for one game in March 2003 for cussing at Cheeks
during a practice. In November 2003, Wells was suspended for two games for a
profanity-laced tirade to Cheeks on the court after he was taken out of a
game at Dallas. Two weeks later, Wells was traded to Memphis.
Miles' suspension comes as the Blazers try to get past trouble with former
Portland forward Qyntel Woods, who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal abuse
last week following allegations of dog fighting.
Upon his plea, Woods was immediately waived by the Blazers, who had suspended
him indefinitely without pay when the allegations first surfaced back in
early October.
Woods has since been signed by the Miami Heat.
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