This might go down as the angriest week in recent NBA history.
After Wednesday’s action, some nine players have been ejected since Monday. The latest fracas was a tiny little showdown between back-ups, Hornets point guard Michael Carter-Williams and Wizards point guard Tim Frazier.
Carter-Williams appeared to trip Jason Smith purposely by grabbing his foot after going down in the paint, and then tried to get in Smith’s face. Frazier, coming from away from the play, saw it all and tried to get at Carter-Williams. Officials tossed them both.
Frazier and Carter-Williams join seven other dudes ejected this week, one of them for yelling at refs (Russell Westbrook), five of them for fake fights (Ben Simmons, Kyle Lowry, Trevor Ariza, Blake Griffin, Nemanja Bjelica), and one for a darn-near REAL fight (Arron Afflalo). The Rockets, who really set the tone for the week with their locker room invasion on Monday, are back in action Thursday, and on national TV. So maybe we’ll get even more on-court salt still.
In related news, Tim Cato ranked the top fights from this season. Kevin Durant vs. Westbrook feels like it happened two years ago!
Scores Galore ...
WAS 109, CHA 133
NOP 93, ATL 94
SAS 100, BKN 95
DET 91, TOR 96
GSW 119, CHI 112
NYK 99, MEM 105
MIA 106, MIL 101
LAL 90, OKC 114
UTA 120, SAC 105
DEN 104, LAC 109
... And So Much More
Paul Flannery on yet another arrival for Anthony Davis. Go read it.
Sanctions came down in the Rockets-Clippers skirmish. Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green each got two games for “aggressively entering the Clippers’ locker room.” No suspensions for Austin Rivers, Chris Paul, James Harden, or Blake Griffin. (The fact the physical altercation between Griffin and Mike D’Antoni remains completely unaddressed by the league is wild.) It turns out the NBA investigation determined CP3 and Harden were peacemakers, not aggressors. “No Trevor, definitely don’t go down this secret hallway and smack Austin in the face! Gerald, we SERIOUSLY don’t want you to come around this way, slip in, and sucker punch Blake.”
I offered up three truths about the Paul Pierce tribute drama. I was so pleased to see Jalen Rose agree with me on one point about Pierce’s petty behavior ... to Pierce’s face ... on live television!
Warriors vs. Bulls had some #moments. There was Kris Dunn falling what seemed like three stories face-first into the court, resulting in teethmarks on the hardwood. Ouch! (He’s OK.) There was Lauri Markannen blocking a shot right off Stephen Curry’s face. Ouch! And there was a mad Curry running out the final 0.1 seconds of a quarter by throwing the ball off David Nwaba’s back while arguing about a non-call.
Donovan Mitchell dunked all over the Kings, as one does.
Jason Concepcion on the Lakers as a Shakespearean drama is golden.
This was hilarious. We talked about Carter-Williams getting ejected. Well, he was due two free throws. Being ejected, he couldn’t take them. So Wizards coach Scott Brooks had the chance to select any active Hornet to take them. Charlotte was up 22 with four minutes left. Nonetheless, Brooks picked Dwight Howard, already shut down for the night. Howard waltzed up, nailed both free throws, blew a kiss to Brooks, and did Sam Cassell’s marbles dance. Howard hasn’t been this likeable in ... well, ever.
Kawhi Leonard is back on the shelf indefinitely. Yikes.
Al Harrington on marijuana law.
More grist for the fight between players/coaches and referees as a soft tech on Courtney Lee very well could have cost the Knicks a game.
Before TNT’s Thursday doubleheader, NBA All-Star Game starters will be announced (6 p.m. ET, TNT). The biggest mysteries are whether Al Horford or Joel Embiid will get a spot in the East, which Western frontcourt player not named Durant or Davis will round out that starting five, and whether Curry or Durant will be the second captain. (I’m pretty confident that LeBron James will stay ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo for the “East” captain.)
TNT’s doubleheader, by the way, is Sixers-Celtics at 7 p.m. ET and Timberwolves-Rockets at 9:30.
Be excellent to each other.