Monday, October 21

Sprewell files suit against New York Post

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Associated Press


NEW YORK -- Latrell Sprewell is suing the New York Post for $40 million over a story about how the Knicks' star broke a bone in his hand.

The lawsuit seeks an additional $250,000 for the amount Sprewell was fined by the team for not reporting his injury soon enough, his lawyers said Monday.

The Post, citing two anonymous sources, reported Oct. 4 that Sprewell was injured when he hit a wall with his hand while throwing a punch at a man on his yacht after the man's girlfriend vomited. Sprewell contends the injury occurred in a fall on the yacht.

Marc Berman, the Knicks' beat writer for the Post, is also named in the lawsuit. He defended his story, saying it was accurate.

The Knicks have ordered Sprewell to stay away from the team until he can make what team president Scott Layden called a ``positive contribution.''

"It's conceivable the Knicks were influenced by the reports of the Post,'' said attorney Bob Gist, Sprewell's agent.

Sprewell was not at the news conference announcing that the lawsuit has been filed in state Supreme Court.