Things got heated after LeBron James caught Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart in the face with hand mid box-out.
James’ blow drew blood and had the 20-year-old big man irate, attempting to go after the Lakers superstar multiple times. Stewart had to be restrained by multiple teammates and coaches before being ushered off the floor.
Both James and Stewart were ejected after the tie up.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, LeBron tried to track down Stewart’s number to let the young Piston know the hit was inadvertent.
LeBron James tried to track down Isaiah Stewart’s number after the game to apologize and let him know that the hit was inadvertent, per @ShamsCharania.
🎥 @patmcafeeshowpic.twitter.com/VznlOlz7Ud
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) November 22, 2021
Charania appeared on the “Pat McAfee Show” with additional details about the Lakers/Pistions scuffle.
“The league will review this today,” Charania said. “I’m told the investigative interviews haven’t taken place yet but it will happen over the course of the day. I would expect something either tonight or tomorrow as far as a ruling.”
Should James face any disciplinary action from the league, he could miss LA’s only trip to Madison Square Garden this season.
However, LeBron doesn’t have a history of dirty play since entering the league in 2003. Lakers teammate Anthony Davis said as much after the game.
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
“Everyone in the league knows LeBron’s not a dirty guy,” Davis told reporters. “In fact, when he knew he hit him, as soon as he did it, he looked back at him like, ‘Oh, my bad. I didn’t try to do it.’”
Lakers coach Frank Vogel added, “[James] had an elbow [from Stewart] to the rib cage, which was a foul and he was trying to shed the contact.”
Vogel did concede that LeBron’s contact was worthy of a flagrant 2.
The 9-9 Lakers take on the New York Knicks at The Garden on Tuesday night. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM ET.
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