The NBA has suspended Charlie Villanueva for five games for an altercation with Cavaliers center Ryan Hollins.

Villanueva not only initiated the altercation but escalated it when he had to be restrained on the court and near the loading dock.

Villanueva sprinted from the Pistons locker room in an attempt to get to the Cavaliers locker room, and was eventually led back to the Pistons locker room by several Detroit area police officers.

Villanueva, who makes $7 million this season, will forfeit $450,000 in salary.

The Los Angeles Clippers announced that guard Eric Bledsoe has been suspended for Saturday’s game in Houston due to a violation of team rules. 

Bledsoe is a rookie out of Kentucky.

Dwight Howard has received a one-game suspension from the NBA for receiving his 18th technical foul of the season in Wednesday's game in Charlotte.

Howard's technical was upheld by the league Thursday.

Quintin Richardson also received a two-game suspension Thursday for shoving Bobcats guard Gerald Henderson in the face in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game.

Dwight Howard will likely serve another one-game suspension because he picked up an eighteenth technical foul in Wednesday night's game at Charlotte.

Howard has always been deliberate at the line, and referee Bennett Salvatore called a violation for taking too long to attempt his second shot late in the second quarter.

Howard tossed the ball away from any official. Salvatore immediately gave Howard a technical.

If the technical is upheld by the league, Howard will sit out Sunday's nationally televised game against the Chicago Bulls.

The NBA suspended Matt Barnes for one game because of his role in an altercation in the fourth quarter of Thursday's game with the Mavericks.

Barnes will miss the Lakers' game Friday against the Jazz in Salt Lake City.

Barnes was one of five players ejected from the game, but he was the only one suspended by the league.