LeBron James suspended for first time in 19-year NBA career

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard LeBron James was suspended Sunday for one game and Detroit Pistons power forward Isaiah Stewart was suspended two after engaging in an altercation during Sunday’s Detroit-Los Angeles NBA game.

An NBA statement said James received the suspension “for recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation.” Stewart was disciplined for “escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing… James in an unsportsmanlike manner.”

The altercation happened in the third quarter of the game when the two were competing for a position during a free throw. When their arms intertwined, James elbow made hard contact with Stewart who immediately began bleeding from his eye. Some reports indicated James tried to pacify the situation after the initial contact, but tensions flared and soon other players, coaches and referees were surrounding the duo, trying to separate them. 

Although Stewart initially walked away from James, he apparently harped on the incident and finally turned around, running toward James. Several other players blocked his path, trying to quell more potential violence. 

Detroit Pistons coach Dwayne Casey said, “His eye got cracked all the way open. He was upset for a reason,” the AP reported. Stewart was so incensed, his teammates covered different tunnels around the arena to make sure he would not double-back to go after James. 

One of those players was Pistons guard Corey Joseph

“After Isaiah Stewart left the Court, Cory was anticipating he may come around the back of [the] house and enter the Laker bench from the opposite side,” referee Scott Foster told a pool reporter when the game finally ended. “So, he was going to intercept him. I actually told Cory that would be good.”

The NBA announced the suspensions Monday, and both will mean the players will not be able to play on Tuesday. James will not play the New York Knicks when the Lakers visit Madison Square Garden and Stewart will miss the Pistons’ home game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday and their subsequent game Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

While Stewart will lose about $45,000 from his two games out, James will lose approximately $284,000 in salary, the Associated Press reported. 

Despite past sanctions, this is the first actual suspension in the 19-year career of James, who has won four NBA titles with three teams.