It marked the second time last week Love delivered a hard foul after not getting a call on the other end. He raked Pacers forward Danny Granger across the chest on Wednesday, touching off a small skirmish in a loss to Indiana.
Love apologized to Scola both after the game and in a statement issued by the team yesterday following the suspension, and said he has to do a better job handling his emotions.
"I don't want to be known for that," Love said after practice. "I want to be known as a stand-up guy who happened to make a mistake with a size-19 shoe and just move on. So everybody knows there were no ill intentions there."
He will miss tonight's game against Sacramento and tomorrow's game at Memphis as the Timberwolves (12-12) look to climb above .500 for the first time this season.
Love is averaging 25.0 points and 13.7 rebounds per game and leads the NBA with 39.4 minutes per game. The All-Star forward was contrite on Monday, saying he thought the suspension from NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson "was warranted."
In games last night *
At Atlanta, Steve Nash scored 24 points and the Phoenix Suns broke open a close game with a 24-6 run to close the third quarter and beat the Hawks, 99-90.
* At Orlando, Chris Paul scored 29 points, including 11 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and the Los Angeles Clippers slipped by the Magic, 107-102. Chauncey Billups (18 points) left in the fourth quarter with an Achilles' injury. Orlando's Jameer Nelson returned after missing five games with concussion symptoms and had 15 points and 12 assists.
