No suspension for Thomas over contact with an official

Isiah Thomas avoided an NBA suspension, even though the league said Thursday there was contact between the New York Knicks coach and the official who threw him out of a game.

The league ruled the contact wasn’t initiated by Thomas, but accidentally created by official Eric Lewis while he was ejecting Thomas from Wednesday night’s game against Houston.

NBA spokesman Tim Frank called it “inadvertent contact from the official in signaling the technical foul.”

Though Thomas said he didn’t touch the official, they clearly made contact when Lewis was issuing Thomas’ first ejection of the season with 11:19 left in Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets.

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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao is questionable for tonight against Charlotte after suffering a knee bruise and an Achilles’ strain in Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta, the team said.

Varejao, who has played only 15 games after a contract holdout, is averaging 7.5 points and 8.1 rebounds.

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Tim Duncan appears poised to earn his ninth consecutive All-Star start.

The San Antonio Spurs standout was leading all Western Conference forwards when the fourth and final voting update for the Feb. 17 All-Star game was released. Voting will continue through Jan. 20 and the starters will be announced Jan. 24.

Duncan (1,246,125 votes) and Denver’s Carmelo Anthony (1,218,106) lead the West forwards.

Houston center Yao Ming (1,255,263), Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (1,441,333) and Houston’s Tracy McGrady (907,639) are on pace to join the West starting lineup.

Eastern Conference forwards Kevin Garnett (1,765,251) of Boston and LeBron James (1,564,974) of Cleveland remain the top two overall vote-getters.

Miami’s Dwyane Wade (1,179,889) and New Jersey’s Jason Kidd (868,069) are on track to start at guard, and Orlando’s Dwight Howard (1,456,898) at center.