An exchange of punches late in Saturday’s game could result in significant suspensions for the Lakers‘ Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo and the Rockets‘ Chris Paul, write Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
Rondo and Paul landed punches on each other in the fracas, but Ingram could face the harshest punishment. He sparked the incident by pushing James Harden, then ran from halfcourt to throw a wild punch in the direction of both Paul and P.J. Tucker.
In the aftermath of the fight, the two teams couldn’t agree on what led Paul and Rondo to come to blows, other than a long-simmering feud between the veteran point guards. Paul claims Rondo spit in his face, while the Lakers contend nothing on the video backs up that assertion.
“You don’t do that to nobody — in sports, on the street,” Houston’s Carmelo Anthony said of the alleged spitting. “That’s blatant disrespect. You don’t do that. That’s unacceptable. … You don’t even see that in the streets, man.”
Lakers coach Luke Walton denied the accusation and blamed a flagrant 1 foul on the Rockets’ James Ennis a few minutes earlier for setting the tone for the incident.
“The clothesline three minutes prior, I saw that, and I have zero idea how that’s a flagrant 1,” Walton said. “The rule is — he clotheslined our guy, picked him up off his feet and slammed him on his back.”
NBA executive vice president Kiki VanDeWeghe, who handles discipline for the league, attended the game and has already begun an investigation. Rondo’s suspension three years ago for a homophobic slur toward a referee will likely be taken into account in determining his punishment, according to ESPN.
With the Rockets scheduled to play the Clippers tonight, an announcement is expected soon. Any accompanying fines will carry a per-game cost of $245,891 for Paul, $62,069 for Rondo and $39,704 for Ingram, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Lengthy suspensions for Rondo and Ingram would give Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma a chance to return to the Lakers’ starting lineup. Ball has been operating under a minutes restriction since offseason surgery on his left knee, but told reporters he wouldn’t have any limitations.
Ingram started that fight and needs to pay the highest cost. Who knew he’s a spitter?
Apparently very few people as there’s no evidence of that. And CP3 continues to show he’s a much lesser person than his public image suggests.
Agreed on the CP3 diss
He’s short too
Lmao
The last paragraph, first line should say “Rondo and Ingram.”
Chris paul is a dirty player. Idk about you but if someone puts there hand in my face they are gonna get punched. Also you can see paul was antagonizing rondo from the begin of the game, by standing over him and flexing his bicep. Paul go punched in the face 3 times and the best one coming from ingram. People forget basketball used to be gritty and have much worse fights.
#Lakeys Finna Winna Chammy Watch !!!
# 4 Chammys in a row baybehhhh !!!!!!
#CHAMMY !!!!!
Time out while I go to the video
Wary veterans Paul and Rondo threw with their nonshooting hands. Rondo may have stalked Paul a bit but stuff happened before too.
Tsk, tsk BrandonImgram for shooting right/ throwing right. Probably mad about being discarded by Harden while giving away the and-one. Burn
CP and Harden are both D-bags, they got what they deserve.
Rondos homophobic slur from three years ago has stuff all to do with last nights incident. Rondo was retaliating from Paul pointing his finger on his check then having Paul push his face. ANYONE would be throwing down after that. Ingram will get the most, for his king hit (soft as s*** cheap shot, lost respect for him with that), then Paul and Rondo.
What’s funny about it all…. Lance was quick on the scene to put the fire out. Would have thought Lance, or Beasley would have been the culprits haha