NBA hands out suspensions after hardtop scuffle between Lakers, Rockets
The league is taking the fracas seriously and handed out punishments for the friction that apparently extended to the players' significant others as well
After a fight during the NBA matchup between Los Angeles and Houston on Saturday, the league issued multiple suspensions as a result of the dustup at the Staples Center, ESPN reported.
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Lakers forward Brandon Ingram is out for four games, while guard Rajon Rondo for three. Meanwhile, Rockets guard Chris Paul had two games taken from him for the fourth quarter altercation.
“Ingram has been suspended for aggressively returning to and escalating the altercation and throwing a punch in the direction of Paul, confronting a game official in a hostile manner, and instigating the overall incident by shoving Rockets guard James Harden,” the league said in a statement.
“Rondo has been suspended for instigating a physical altercation with, and spitting and throwing multiple punches at, Paul. Paul has been suspended for poking at and making contact with the face of Rondo, and throwing multiple punches at him.”
NBA vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe, said Rondo received one more game than Paul because he threw the first punch.
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“We try to judge each one of these [incidents] on the merits: who does what, who instigates, how dangerous the situation becomes and is,” VanDeWeghe said.
“And also the discipline is an act of deterrence. We want to make sure that we deter this further action and make a statement that this is not acceptable. Fighting’s not acceptable in our league and never has been.”
Fists allegedly went flying between the wives too. Eyewitnesses reported thatRondo’s girlfriend pushed Paul’s wife, Jada. She was sitting next to LeBron James’ wife, Savannah. Chris Paul is the godfather of the James’ son, LeBron Jr.
Houston coach Mike D’Antoni was unhappy with Paul’s penalty.
“It’s just not equitable,” he said. “If you wanted to suspend him one [game] I get it, just to make a statement. Then you’re talking monetarily, he’s paying three times more than the other guys are paying for missing games? That doesn’t seem to be right.’”
“It is what it is. I don’t know how to decide how many games,’” Harden said.
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