New York ? Maurice Taylor’s suspension was reduced to six games Monday by the NBA, and the players’ union withdrew its grievance over the penalty.

Taylor originally was suspended 10 games without pay for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

The union contended that the maximum suspension should have been five games.

Talks between the league and the union produced the compromise Monday — the same day Taylor’s case was to be heard by an arbitrator.

Taylor also was suspended by the league for the first five games of the 2002 season for smoking marijuana.