Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) dribbles the ball during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Toyota Center in Houston, Feb 27, 2015. [Photo/Agencies & Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports]

NEW YORK - The NBA has suspended Houston star James Harden one game without pay for kicking LeBron James in the groin.

The All-Stars and Olympic teammates became tangled in the third quarter of Houston's 105-103 victory over Cleveland on Sunday and Harden fell back to the court, then kicked his foot up into James.

Harden was given a flagrant foul 1 for the play, which the league upgraded Monday to a flagrant 2, which would have been an automatic ejection if called at the time.

An angry James said after the game that Harden's kick was "not a basketball play" and that the league would probably look at it.

Harden, the NBA's leading scorer and a top Most Valuable Player candidate, won't play when the Rockets visit the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.