LeBron James was furious with the way Bobby Portis approached a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope runaway dunk, as the New York Knicks big man clotheslined his Los Angeles Lakers teammate with 8:02 remaining in the second quarter, a collision LeBron James called a “scary moment.”
“It was [dirty],” said James after the game, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. “There was no play on the ball [by Portis]. I saw the windup happen before the actual impact. I saw the way he was chasing KCP down. And then the windup. I saw that play happening before it actually happened. So, I just voiced my words to what happened, and then the refs came in between us. But I knew it definitely wasn't a basketball play.”
Portis was chasing down the Lakers guard and tried to prevent him from an easy two, but swung his arms wildly across the face in a reckless manner, causing his ejection.
Bobby Portis ejected after smacking KCP across the head… pic.twitter.com/Ju1aoNDXBP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 8, 2020
Portis, who has a history with unsportsmanlike fouls and behavior, could be facing further sanctions from the league office for this ill-advised hit on Caldwell-Pope, something the league is determined not to take lightly. Player safety has quickly become a priority for the NBA in the wake of so many long-term injuries in recent months, making this play a no-brainer for a fine and a potential consequent suspension.
The Lakers shooting guard would return after being taken to the locker room and finish the game with 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting.
“I was feeling great before I even came back on the court,” he said.
KCP refuses to watch the replay of that play, claiming he has no reason to do so since he got back on the court. Yet James had all the reason to be irate at this play, considering his teammate's health was put at risk.
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