VIDEO: Metta World Peace Apologizes, Explains Elbow That Felled James Harden

On replay (and replay and replay and replay) of Metta World Peace's hard elbow to James Harden's neck and dome on Sunday, it looked rather intentional. Sure enough, the officials booted MWP from the L.A. Lakers' eventual win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Harden would not return to the game, either, and faces concussion tests that could knock him out for quite a while.)

As we wait for word on MWP's suspension, it's worth noting that he claimed after the game that the hit was not intentional, that he was simply excited after a big dunk and celebrating the play when his elbow struck Harden. Is he telling the truth? Vote in our poll.

Via LB Sports.

MWP will certainly face a lengthy suspension; Stu Jackson, the NBA's discipline czar, will likely announce sanctions on Monday, and as the Lakers have just one game remaining, the ban is highly likely to last into the NBA playoffs. L.A. will face the Dallas Mavericks or Denver Nuggets in the first round, and possibly Harden and the Thunder in the second round.