Dwight Howard has been suspended for the opening game of the 2015-16 NBA season for a flagrant foul on Andre Iguodala in game five of the Western Conference finals.
The NBA reviewed the foul after the Houston Rockets center hit the Golden State Warriors forward in the neck late in the fourth quarter in the 104-90 defeat.
The 29-year-old told ESPN: "Well, that means I have to play 81 games hard, not 82. I can't do nothing about it now, the playoffs are over with for us.
"We had a great run, so despite getting whatever happens next year for one game, its not going to take away what we did this year in the playoffs."
The league had already opted not to suspend Howard for a foul on Warriors center Andrew Bogut in the previous game.
