Suns' Bell suspended 1 game for flagrant foul

PHOENIX -- The NBA suspended Phoenix guard Raja Bell for one game on Wednesday for throwing Kobe Bryant to the floor in the fourth quarter of Tuesday night's playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

That means the Suns will be without Bell, the principal defender against Bryant, for Game 6 tonight in Los Angeles.

Phoenix beat the Lakers 114-97 in Game 5 but Los Angeles still leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 and can eliminate the Suns with a victory. In a brief news release, the NBA said Bell was suspended for "excessive and unnecessary contact."

The suspension had yet to be announced when the Suns practiced earlier Wednesday before leaving for Los Angeles. After the workout, Bell repeated that throwing Bryant down was wrong but explained what led to the foul and made clear his dislike for the Lakers' star.

"I have no respect for him," Bell said. "I think he's a pompous, arrogant individual."

Bell said he had been repeatedly hit in the face by Bryant during the game.

"I got a bruised cheek here and I can barely open my jaw on this side," he said, indicating the left side of his face, "and that didn't come from nowhere, and I felt like I'd had enough of that."

Pistons advance

Hamilton had a playoff-career high 40 points Wednesday night and the Pistons tied a franchise-playoff scoring record in the first quarter in a 122-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5.