Last Sunday things got a little out of hand during a Lakers game facing off the Detroit Pistons, that’s because LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart were both ejected from the game after a scuffle during a free-throw situation in the middle of the third quarter.
It is still unknown to all the reasons behind the action taken by LeBron, but the fact is that before the free throw was completed James closed his fist (well visible in all shown videos) and clocked the Piston’s center, Steward, right between his forehead and eyebrows.
The brawl, which initially was controlled by bench players and some security guards, quickly escalated once Stewart, for five consecutive times, released himself from his colleagues and went running after James. Isaiah was profusely bleeding throughout the entire scene. After about ten minutes of scuffles Isaiah ran into the tunnel to try to get James from the side of the bench of the Lakers. But fortunately, and to avoid an even worse situation the tunnel was blocked by police officers present at the arena.
The NBA formally announced that LeBron James got suspended for one game without pay -- which amounts to $284K – the reason was announced publicly as being: "recklessly hitting [Isaiah] Stewart in the face, and initiating an on-court altercation."
Stewart, who left the court with a severe face wound, was suspended for two games without pay according to the NBA for: "escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing [LeBron James] in an unsportsmanlike manner."
The impression here in the States is that it was a slap on the wrist of James, and he deserved a more severe punishment, as in 2015, J.R. Smith was suspended two playoff games for a nearly identical hit on Jae Crowder.
We are all about more plays and no fights!
