As the month of January comes to a close, the NBA is entering a very interesting time of the season. With the trade deadline just a few weeks away, rumors are running rampant as teams assess who they have and who they need.
On the court, tensions are at an all-time high as a period of uncertainty and frustration envelops many teams around the association. The Lakers are one such team right now, and it has come to a point where any win is worth celebrating for them. Interestingly, however, their latest win against the Memphis Grizzlies came with more fireworks than usual.
Sitting courtside, sports analyst and LeBron James superfan Shannon Sharpe got caught in a scuffle with players from the Memphis Grizzlies, who approached Shannon after he was heard talking trash on the sidelines.
LeBron James, instead of condemning Sharpe, stood in his defense after the game was over.
“I ride with Shannon 365 days — 366 on a leap year — 24/7. So that’s my guy,” said James. “I always got his back. And he’s got mine. He can talk with the best of them, for sure.”
Naturally, the situation drew all sorts of reactions from the internet as fans showed up in droves to react to the wild scene in Los Angeles.
While Sharpe was the hero of the night for many Lakers lovers, not everybody was thrilled with how everything played out.
Bill Simmons Calls Out The NBA As He Awaits Ruling On Mid-Game Altercation
Among the many voices calling for the NBA to take action was The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, who took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the whole ordeal.
Is there a Shannon Sharpe Precedent now for courtside behavior at NBA games? Can any sports TV personality instigate an in-game altercation with the opposing team + stay for the rest of the game? Like, can Kornheiser now do this at Wizards games? Can’t wait for the NBA’s ruling!
I’m gonna take @kevinwildes courtside to the 3/17 Lakers-Mavs game and see if he can get into an in-game screaming match with Luka and Davis Bertans.
As entertaining as the moment was for fans, it also set a dangerous precedent for courtside behavior going forward.
If Shannon Sharpe can stay in the arena after nearly starting a brawl in the middle of a game, it’s only a matter of time before others try something similar.
So far, the NBA has not yet responded or issued any kind of punishment on the parties involved, but it will be interesting to see what they decide to do about it (if anything) over the next few days and weeks.
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