The league office confirmed Monday night that a formal review has been opened after Paul and Rondo tangled under the basket in the second quarter, resulting in each player being assessed a technical foul. Media accounts from the game also suggested that Rondo and Paul exchanged heated words after the final buzzer that eventually prompted Paul to try to follow Rondo off the floor.
According to the Boston Globe, Rondo approached Paul while the Hornets’ guard and Boston’s Paul Pierce were exchanging post-game handshakes. The Globe reported that shouting ensued and that the two guards had to be separated.
According to The Associated Press game story, Paul later tried to walk toward the Boston locker room as the Celtics were filing off the court before Celtics assistants stopped him. The AP reported that Hornets coach Byron Scott then came over to retrieve him.
Paul has denied most of this on Twitter today. He says he “never came close” to the C’s locker room (though that doesn’t necessarily mean he didn’t try to get there) and that he never got into any shouting match with Tom Thibodeau.
Unless I’m missing something here, this seems much ado about nothing. Two competitive guys don’t like each other, they exchange some words (gasp!) and one guy possibly makes a brief move toward the other guy’s locker room before either thinking better of it or being restrained.
This isn’t Chris Mills parking his SUV in front of the Portland Trail Blazers bus in 2002 and challenging the whole team to a fight (possibly while armed). Unless there’s more information yet to be reported, the NBA should let this go. I think it’s cool that two of the best young PGs in the game visibly dislike each other.
(And by the way, Paul’s comment about Rondo being “lucky” to play with the Big Three is a great passive-aggressive shot at both Rajon and Paul’s own lackluster teammates. How miserable will CP3 have to get before the Hornets fire Byron Scott, shake up the team or inquire into the unthinkable possibility of trading the best PG since Magic Johnson? Hat tip: CelticsBlog.)
And by the way, I know the C’s media guys are just doing their job, but as a reporter, I find this somewhere between laughably ridiculous and outright offensive:
After Boston’s 97-87 victory, Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss advised reporters before Rondo’s post-game address that “Rajon has requested you not ask anything about Chris Paul now, tomorrow, or any other time.”
Really? The entire topic of Chris Paul is off limits in perpetuity? Come on. I know the C’s don’t mean this literally, and this statement came out in what was likely a semi-frenized moment, but the idea of barring questions about an on-court competitor is just not OK. Even for one day. Marc Spears should be able to ask Rajon Rondo about Chris Paul any time he damn well pleases. That’s his job.
In any case, let’s all just drop this and move on.
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I heard a rumor that Rondo called CP3 a bad name.