Nba: fight between Lakers and Pistons after LeBron James elbow

Everything happens at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and for a few minutes the ghosts of the famous “Malice at the Palace” are also evoked when Pistons and Pacers, on November 19, 2004, were the protagonists of one of the worst pages in the recent history of the NBA . The Lakers win 121-116 a very special match that finds its highlight at 9’18 ” from the end of the third quarter. With Grant in the line, James and Stewart create an edgy knockout that knocks out the Detroit player. The replay highlights LeBron’s elbow to Stewart who begins to bleed profusely from the right browbone and loses his compass. The long of the Pistons, blocked with difficulty by his teammates, coaches and security men, tries to get justice against James, the result is a turmoil that brings to mind the unforgettable evening of November 19, 2004. With difficulty the referee trio succeeds but to restore calm, with Stewart who at one point flees to the locker room with the ill-concealed intention of returning to the parquet from another exit. The player, however, is blocked and the game can thus resume, not before having certified the expulsion of LeBron and Stewart himself. “Everyone knows that LeBron is not an unfair player – says Anthony Davis in the post-match – he immediately tried to justify himself with Stewart, I don’t know what is wrong with the Detroit players”. James’s gesture, whether intentional or not, remains out of place and it is unlikely that the Lakers leader will avoid at least one day of disqualification.

The race

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When we resume playing after the long break, the Pistons, who at the time of the two expulsions (and of the coach at Westbrook, considered by the referees “a provocateur”), were controlling the match, even managed to accelerate and arrive at +17 before suffer the return of the LA team. Westbrook and Davis play the charge in the fourth period, open the fraction with a 14-2 run and resume the home team. Melo’s triples, Davis’ plays and Westbrook’s production, who signed 15 of his 26 points in the last quarter, make the difference, Detroit, despite the excellent impact of rookie Cunningham (triple double for him) and the Grant’s production (36 points), he can no longer find the basket with continuity, the Lakers thank him and thus manage to complete the comeback, finding success after three consecutive defeats. “Victories like this, recovering an important deficit without being able to count on LeBron – says the Lakers coach Frank Vogel – have a very important value and can represent a turning point for our season”.

Detroit: Grant 36 (7/16, 5/9, 7/10 tl), Diallo 17, Jackson 15. Rebounds: Cunningham 12. Assist: Cunningham 10.

LA Lakers: Davis 30 (11/18, 0/1, 8/10 tl), Westbrook 26, Anthony 18. Rebounds: Davis 10. Assists: Westbrook 10.