Basketball star LeBron James was ejected from a Lakers-Pistons NBA game after elbowing Pistons center Isaiah Stewart in the face during a fight for a rebound early in the third quarter at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday.
Stewart had blood gushing down his face following the hit, sending the player into a rage that erupted into an all-out brawl between the teams. His teammates and coaches worked hard to hold the 6-foot-8, 250-pound center back as he repeatedly tried to barrel through everybody to get to James and the Lakers players.
By the end of the brawl, both players were ejected, marking James’ second career ejection. Lakers guard Russell Westbrook was also given a technical foul for his actions during the fight.
Lakers salvage a win
Despite the altercation, the Lakers focused on completing a 17-point comeback without LeBron James. Anthony Davis led Los Angeles on nearly all categories, finishing with 30 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, four steals and five blocks. Two of Davis’ blocks came with about a minute left to go when Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham tried to tie the game with a 3-pointer and then cut the deficit to one point with a lay-up. Russell Westbrook also helped with a near triple-double of 26 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
For Detroit, Jerami Grant shined with 36 points and four rebounds. Cunningham made history with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the youngest player in franchise history to notch a triple-double.
Detroit’s history with NBA brawls
The city of Detroit is no stranger to NBA brawls. One of the league’s most notorious fights, commonly known as “Malice at the Palace,” happened in the now-demolished Detroit arena The Palace of Auburn Hills.
In 2004, Pistons center Ben Wallace shoved Pacers forward Ron Artest (now named Metta Sandiford-Artest), initiating a fight between the teams’ players. Artest distanced himself from the fight to calm down, but a fan hit the player with a drink from the stands, infuriating Artest to the point of climbing the stands to fight Detroit fans. The incident was so violent that the referees called an end to the game and the league later suspended nine players.
