LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart were both ejected from the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons game on Sunday evening after James elbowed Stewart in the face and set off an intense scene in Detroit. Stewart ran after James multiple times and needed to held back by teammates and Pistons personnel as blood ran down his face following the shot from James.
James was assessed a flagrant-2 foul hitting Stewart after a free throw attempt. The Pistons were leading the Lakers by 12 points at the time of the incident, but LA rallied for a 121-116 victory without James. James has been suspended one game, and will miss the Lakers’ meeting with the New York Knicks. Stewart has been suspended two games.
Rarely does it seem like NBA players actually want to fight when a scuffle breaks out during a game. There’s no doubt Stewart was ready to throw down. You can watch the full scene here:
The Lakers and Pistons had to be separated multiple times after this play between LeBron and Isaiah Stewart. pic.twitter.com/im0o7fXeoI
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 22, 2021
Stewart made multiple efforts to charge at James. Thankfully, he couldn’t get to him.
Here’s another angle of Stewart making a run for James:
Isaiah Stewart running after LeBron pic.twitter.com/wb23SyWYle
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) November 22, 2021
James had 10 points in 21 minutes before the ejection. Stewart had four points in 19 minutes before being tossed.
The Lakers out-scored the Pistons by 20 points in the fourth quarter to steal the win.
Stewart had blood running down his face throughout the incident with James.
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Here’s another look at James hitting Stewart:
Lakers’ LeBron James ejected for this blow to face of Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart pic.twitter.com/fsRtNJgekF
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) November 22, 2021
Anthony Davis said after the game that everyone knows LeBron isn’t a dirty player. Read the Lakers’ full defense of James over at Silver Screen and Roll.
Lakers' Anthony Davis: “Everyone in the league knows that [LeBron James] isn’t a dirty guy. As soon as he did it, he looked back and told him, ‘My bad. I didn’t try to do it.’ I don’t know what [Isaiah Stewart] was trying to do. Nobody on our team, 1-15, was having it."
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) November 22, 2021
Here’s what the NBA said in issuing the suspensions:
NBA: Stewart's suspension was for "escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing (James) in an unsportsmanlike manner."
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 22, 2021
James serves suspension Tuesday vs. Knicks for "recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation." https://t.co/4H08dXOZIY
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