LeBron James, Isaiah Stewart suspended after altercation

(Image credit: Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

published 23 November 2021

The NBA announced on Monday that it suspended LeBron James for one game without pay and Isaiah Stewart for two games following a bloody altercation during Sunday's Lakers-Pistons game.

Lakers forward James will miss Tuesday night's game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, while center Stewart will be out during the Pistons' home game on Tuesday against Miami and Wednesday's game at Milwaukee, ESPN reports. By not playing, James will lose roughly $284,000 in salary and Stewart about $45,000.

The NBA said James was suspended for "recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation" and Stewart was suspended for "repeatedly and aggressively pursuing" James. The incident took place during the third quarter of Sunday's game in Detroit, when the players were at the free-throw line and jostling for position. James struck Stewart in the face, and after being led away by teammates, a bloodied Stewart tried to run toward James. Both players were ejected from the game.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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