NEW ORLEANS – Jason Kidd will not be suspended for his flagrant foul on Jannero Pargo on Sunday in Game 4.

Pargo, who was thrown to the floor as he attempted a layup, said he has no problem with the league's decision.

"Not at all," said Pargo, the Hornets backup point guard, on Monday after the New Orleans Hornets completed practice. "I think he did exactly what he was supposed to do.

"It's the playoffs. You don't want anyone to score, no matter what the score is. He wanted to give a hard foul, and that's what he did."

New Orleans had a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 4 when Pargo took a bounce pass from Chris Paul on a fast break. Kidd collided with Pargo, wrapped his forearm around the back of Pargo's neck and slung him to the court.

"He has that old-man strength that kind of threw me down," Pargo said.

Kidd received a flagrant foul-2 and was ejected with 7:16 left in the Mavericks' loss. He didn't apologize, and Pargo didn't expect him to, saying, "Whatever happens on the floor, you leave it on the floor.

"We didn't want him to get suspended. We want them to be full strength and to have their best team out there on the floor for the next game. That way, if we get the win, it won't be tainted at all."

Avery needed Barea: Avery Johnson said his brief experiment in Game 4 with backup point guard J.J. Barea was necessary because Jason Terry was out of gas early in the second quarter.

"It was a minute and 30," Johnson said. "Even though the momentum swung a little bit at that period of time, Jet was wiped out. He's expended a lot of energy guarding Paul and trying to give us some offense at the same time."

Scott is coach of the year: New Orleans coach Byron Scott, who led the Hornets to their first playoff appearance in four years this season, has been chosen as the NBA coach of the year, The Associated Press has learned.

Scott is expected to receive the award before Game 5 today. He led the Hornets to the Southwest Division title and a 56-26 record in the regular season after they went 39-43 last season.

No confrontation with fan, Cuban says: After Chris Paul tumbled into the baseline seats late in Game 4, he got into an exchange with a fan.

Despite what some reports said, owner Mark Cuban did not have a brush with the fan.

"He is a friend of mine," Cuban said. "He wasn't goading, nor was he trying to create a confrontation in talking to Paul. I was right there. When Paul fell in his lap, he said something, and Paul matched and bettered him with a comment of his own. [Referee Steve] Javie then came over and kicked out the fan."

Cuban added that, coincidentally, Javie ejected a different fan in the same seat the last time Javie called a Mavericks home game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

dmoore@dallasnews.com

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