Coach’s Return Is Delayed

Houston Rocket Coach Rudy Tomjanovich, diagnosed this week with a tumor on his bladder, won’t rejoin the team until at least Monday.

The team said Tuesday that Tomjanovich had a superficial bladder tumor and that he’d rejoin the team sometime during their five-game trip.

On the advice of team doctor James Muntz, however, Tomjanovich will remain at his home in Houston to recuperate.

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Indiana Pacer swingman Ron Artest was suspended by the NBA for the fifth time this season, getting a two-game ban for a flagrant foul five seconds into Wednesday’s game against the Boston Celtics. Artest, who has exceeded the limit on flagrant fouls, will be suspended two games for every flagrant foul for the rest of the season.

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Portland Trail Blazer guard Damon Stoudamire agreed to attend drug and alcohol counseling and stay out of legal trouble for the next year to have marijuana charges against him dropped in Chehalis, Wash.

Teammate Rasheed Wallace, who did not attend the hearing but was in the vehicle with Stoudamire in which a small amount of marijuana was found Nov. 22, is expected to come to the same terms on March 31.