Nov 21, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) walks off the court after being ejected from the game during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
A small army had to stop Isaiah Stewart from fighting LeBron James after a brawl nearly broke out during the Lakers-Pistons game.
Stewart was punched in the eye/nose area at the free-throw line by James. It’s unclear if the incident was on purpose, but you can bet both players will be hearing from the league office.
The NBA and David Stern made an example of both teams after the Malice at the Palace in November of 2004. While this incident is unlikely to have that level of league punishment attached to it, you can bet both James and Stewart will receive fines, at the very least.
The fan angle of Stewart trying to reach James after he was initially held back is extremely damning, and likely what the league will look at when deciding how long to suspend the second-year Piston.
LeBron James ejected: Fan video looks bad for Isaiah Stewart
Stewart is definitely going to hear from Adam Silver, and rightly so. He tried to fight the face of the Association and didn’t let the parameters in place stop him from doing so.
While Stewart is turning into an impact player himself for the Pistons, by no means is he on James’ level, and he has to learn how to contain his emotions. This will likely be a chance to learn by example, when the Association hits him with a lengthy suspension and fine.
James is a different question entirely. He will be fined, that’s for sure. But it’ll be tough for the NBA or Pistons to prove what LeBron did was on purpose. At full speed, it looks incidental.