The Oklahoma City Thunder traveled to Staples Center last night to play the Los Angeles Clippers, and let’s just say, things got dirty. With just under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, with the Clippers down by six, Matt Barnes shoots a three from the corner and Blake Griffin goes for the boxout hoping for an offensive rebound. Instead Blake Griffin is hit with Serge Ibaka’s hand, straight in the groin. Ibaka got penalized for a flagrant-1 foul.
Since the Lakers are playing the Thunder tomorrow night, I asked Kobe Bryant at practice on Monday what he would do if he suffered the same hit from Ibaka. Bryant said he did see Ibaka’s low blow and he wasn’t happy about it.
“I probably would have smacked him in the mouth. I would have dealt with the pain afterwards.”
This quote becomes more interesting when you consider the fact that the Lakers face the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. While Ibaka may end up suspended for the game, it certainly adds a bit of spice to the game. These two teams aren’t adverse to controversy, either. If you’ll recall, it was Metta World Peace’s elbow against the Thunder’s James Harden late last season that left him suspended for the first round of the playoffs.
Will Bryant’s words end up creating a buzz heading into the game, or just be more chatter thrown by the wayside as the Lakers attempt to beat the powerful Thunder?
