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By Perry Green, AFRO Sports Editor
LeBron James had his home debut as a Los Angeles Laker at the Staples Center last Saturday, but it was overshadowed by a fight that broke out between veteran guards Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul.
Rondo, 32, who plays for the Lakers, ended up taking a few swings mid game against 33-year-old Paul of Houston Rockets, after Paul had pointed his finger and poked at Rondo’s face. Lakers forward Brandon Ingram also joined in on the brawl, throwing a few punches at Paul in defense of his teammate.
Paul told reporters after the game that he poked his finger in reaction to Rondo spitting in his face; while Rondo initially denied the accusation, video later surfaced that proved he did spit at Paul.
But even Rondo and Paul’s fight was overshadowed by another altercation that night. According to The Athletic, an eyewitness claims that Rondo’s girlfriend had later shoved Paul’s wife and the two were close to fighting before arena security separated them.
The NBA ended up suspending Paul, Rondo and Ingram for their involvement in the fight. Ingram and Rondo received a four-game suspension, while Paul was suspended for just two games.
“[Brandon] Ingram has been suspended for aggressively returning to and escalating the altercation and throwing a punch in the direction of [Chris] Paul, confronting a game official in a hostile manner, and instigating the overall incident by shoving Rockets guard James Harden,” the NBA said in a statement released to the media. “Rondo has been suspended for instigating a physical altercation with, and spitting and throwing multiple punches at Paul. Paul has been suspended for poking at and making contact with the face of Rondo, and throwing multiple punches at him.”
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