I would have to take Isaiah Stewart in a fight over Carmelo if I were a betting man.
That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t give Melo a shot, he is from Baltimore, but I can’t get over him running from 4’11 Nate Robinson, who Jake Paul knocked out.
The Lakers were ready to war for their KING, but Stewart didn’t want Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, or Carmelo Anthony. He wanted the guy who cheap-shotted him, LEBRON JAMES (I am using that little kid’s voice that always says his name funny).
LeBron James was ejected from the Los Angeles Lakers’ 121-116 win over the Pistons on Sunday for striking Detroit big man Isaiah Stewart in the face while jostling for rebounding position.
The hit led to a stoppage in action while Stewart, with blood streaming down his face, had to be held back multiple times by Detroit personnel as he tried to confront James. The incident occurred with 9:18 remaining in the third quarter and the Lakers trailing 79-67.
After the game, crew chief Scott Foster said Westbrook was deemed to be “an escalator and not a peacemaker” as the reason for the technical foul. Foster also said Stewart was assessed two technical fouls for “multiple unsportsmanlike acts during the altercation.” Foster explained that James’ penalty stemmed from “unnecessary and excessive contact above the shoulder.”
“It was a tough play with Isaiah,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “His eye got cracked all the way open, and he was upset for a reason. So, I don’t think James is a dirty player, but again, it got them going.”
The interesting thing is Carmelo took a shot at Cory Joseph, but in reality, Joseph was trying to help the Lakers out and should be commended for his actions.
Stewart attempted to bull-rush the Lakers’ scrum at least three times before retreating through a tunnel behind the Pistons’ bench. Detroit guard Cory Joseph positioned himself near the Lakers’ bench to stop Stewart should he have emerged from an adjacent tunnel that would have led him back by the Lakers’ group.
While Lakers players took exception to Joseph’s presence in the moment, Foster credited him for his instincts.
“Cory was anticipating he may come around the back of house and enter the Laker bench from the opposite side,” Foster said, in the pool report. “So, he was going to intercept him. I actually told Cory that would be good.”
In the end, the Lakers needed OT to beat the Pistons, and while they say this might be a rallying point for them, we will have to see.
Flip the pages for Melo challenging Stewart and videos from the brawl.
