Windhorst: People at Durant, Harden’s Shootaround ‘Surprised’ LeBron James Got a Ban

AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

Those taking part in the Brooklyn Nets’ pregame shootaround Monday were reportedly surprised the NBA suspended Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James one game for his tussle with Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart.

On Wednesday’s edition of his Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said:

“I was out on the court with the Nets pregame Monday night. [Kevin] Durant and [James] Harden were out there doing pregame shooting when the news of the suspension came down, and everybody passed the news around really quick, and there were people on the court who were surprised that the league suspended LeBron for that.”

The incident between James and Stewart occurred during the third quarter of Sunday’s 121-116 Lakers win over the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.

While James and Stewart were jockeying for position, LeBron swung his arm and hit Stewart in the face, which resulted in Stewart getting cut open:

Stewart then ran across the court in an apparent effort to get back at James, resulting in players and personnel working to keep them separated:

According to ESPN, the NBA said in a statement that James was suspended one game for “recklessly hitting” Stewart in the face, while Stewart was suspended two games for “escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing” LeBron.

James lost one game check worth about $284,000, while Stewart’s two lost game checks will total around $45,000.

The biggest difference between the suspensions was that LeBron’s was a result of a basketball play, while Stewart’s was due to extracurricular things after the play was over.

James sat out Tuesday’s 106-100 loss to the New York Knicks, while Stewart did not play Tuesday’s 100-92 defeat to the Miami Heat. Stewart will also miss Wednesday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Both will be eligible to play Sunday, however, which is when the Lakers and Pistons next face each other in Los Angeles.