image via: IFWT IG
The Lakers and Bucks were playing a typical game in Los Angeles that fans didn’t really care about but then things got interesting at the end of the third quarter. Nick Young and D’Angelo Russell of the Lakers, along with Greg Monroe of the Bucks, were all ejected after an NBA style fight broke out.
By NBA style fight of course, I mean alot of pushing and shoving and fake “hold me back” type displays of emotion. Monroe landed the best shot of the entire fight when he seemed to connect with Young’s face, although it was more of a push than a punch.
Young wasn’t happy with the way he was fouled as he went to the basket by Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon. Young tried to go after him and was immediately hit by Monroe. Brandon Ingram tried to get at Monroe but he didn’t really want it.
The Bucks wound up winning the game 107-103 but afterwards, Lakers coach Luke Walton was still talking about the skirmish and was not happy with The Bucks or the refs.
“Obviously, I don’t want anyone to throw punches or get hurt,” Walton began in a lengthy postgame remark that probably will draw attention from league officials. “I just watched [the replay]. I’m going to need an explanation on it because it made no sense to me. They told me that D’Angelo got kicked out for escalating the situation. But D’Angelo only responded after Monroe had grabbed Nick by the neck and thrown him. If D’Angelo didn’t push him, I would’ve been pissed off at D’Angelo. He did the right thing.
“So for the NBA to say that the two of them did the same thing and just canceled each other out is absolute crap to me because D’Angelo just shoved [Monroe] in the back; Monroe grabbed [Young] by the neck. I don’t know if he was mad that [Ivica] Zubac was kicking his butt all night long out there. But you grab someone by the neck? That’s not right. And then Monroe went and slapped Brandon in the face. So he did all that and he got the same penalty as when D’Angelo just did it for shoving someone in the back that was a teammate. So that’s crap to me.”
Walton then spoke on a Bucks employee became involved in the scuffle.
“And then watching the tape, one of their employees is on the floor, and he grabs Brandon by the jersey and shoves him — not holding him back, shoves him — and that doesn’t get addressed either?” Walton asked.
“Don’t touch my damn players,” Walton said, in part, “because if that’s OK, I’m sure we can find a couple people here in L.A. that want that job working for the Lakers, too. That’s not right.”
For a game that really meant nothing when it started, there sure turned out to be quite a bit of drama. Next time these teams play should be pretty interesting, although it will have to wait till next season.
Written by @IamJoeSports
