The NBA reacted swiftly in disciplining Golden State Warriors part-owner Mark Stevens for shoving Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry during Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Even so, some within the league were displeased with the relatively tepid measure of punishment assessed to Stevens. Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley, though, isn't among them.
During a chat with 95.7 The Game on Friday, Barkley strayed from the many calling for Stevens to be banned from the league forever.
“We could argue about the suspension, whether the rest of the season or year, whether it's fair or not,” Charles Barkley said. “I have no problem with that. I have no problem with the fine. But Pop, I'm not one of those guys who thinks when somebody screw up we should kill 'em. He was 100 percent wrong. He's gonna get suspended for a year. But I'm not in the mob, the mob mentality.”




In the second half of Game 3, Lowry crashed into the courtside seats across the from the Golden State bench while chasing a loose ball. Though the spectators he actually made contact with reacted appropriately, a man seated two seats to the left of Lowry gave him an unprovoked shove. The fan, later identified as Stevens, was asked to leave the game shortly thereafter, and on Monday fined $500,000 and barred from attending any NBA games until the 2020-21 season.
Public outcry regarding the incident reached a crescendo on Monday morning, when Stevens was identified as the fan in question and players across the league, including LeBron James and multiple Warriors, came to Lowry's defense and urged the league to take action.