DeMarcus Cousins was suspended indefinitely by the Sacramento Kings on Saturday for "unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team".

Cousins and Kings coach Keith Smart exchanged words in the locker room during halftime of Sacramento's 97-85 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. Smart benched Cousins for the entire second half and ordered him to remain in the locker room.

Cousins also was suspended one game without pay by the NBA for striking O.J. Mayo in the groin during a loss at Dallas on Dec 10. Following a loss at San Antonio on Nov 9, the league suspended Cousins two games without pay for confronting Spurs announcer Sean Elliott in a "hostile manner".

"We're trying to set a standard here, and when guys move below that standard, things are going to take place," Smart said after the game in Los Angeles. "We'll just move on to the next game and I'll make some decisions from there."

Cousins, drafted fifth overall in 2010, took responsibility for the incident after the game. The 22-year-old center is averaging a team-high 16.6 points and 9.5 rebounds to go with 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game this season.

"What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room. But I was wrong. I was wrong," said Cousins.

(China Daily 12/24/2012 page23)