Houston Rockets centre Dwight Howard will not be suspended for Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors, the NBA announced on Tuesday.
There had been discussions on whether or not the league would suspend Howard for hitting Andrew Bogut in the face during the Rockets' 128-115 Game 4 win on Monday.
Coming just a day after the Atlanta Hawks' Al Horford was ejected for elbowing Cleveland Cavaliers' guard Matthew Dellavedova in the head, some critics questioned how Howard had avoided a similar sanction.
"Howard was trying to extricate himself from Bogut and recklessly hit him in the face with an open hand," NBA President of Basketball Operations Rod Thorn said in a release.
"The contact was unnecessary but not deemed excessive by the officials working the game with the aid of the replay center. And we don't see a reason to modify that call."
The foul was ruled a flagrant foul one on Monday.
Had the league upgraded it to a flagrant two, Howard would have been suspended for Wednesday's game in Oakland.
The Rockets trail the Warriors 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.