Kendrick Perkins banned 1 game

Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins has been suspended one game without pay for "initiating and making head to head contact" with Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans, the league announced Saturday.

The play happened with 4:17 remaining in the first quarter as Perkins lunged into Evans.

Perkins will sit Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Without Perkins the Thunder will lose interior depth against the imposing Clippers frontcourt.

Perkins, 30, is averaging 4.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in 19.1 minutes in 49 games this season.