The Los Angeles Lakers are in pretty good shape as they are riding a six-game winning streak heading into Saturday night’s game against a Memphis Grizzlies team that shows promise but is very inexperienced. However, one of their players was hit in the pocketbook after a moment in Friday’s win over Oklahoma City.
The NBA announced that Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has been fined $35,000 for “unsportsmanlike contact” with Thunder guard Dennis Schroeder, which resulted in a flagrant two foul for Rondo and an ejection, as well as the “verbal abuse of a game official” and “failing to leave the court in a timely manner upon his ejection.”
Video of the offense is available on NBA.com as it looks like Rondo hit Schroeder below the belt with a knee before arguing with the officials on his way out.
Rondo is expected to play for the Lakers tonight against the Grizzlies but he will be doing so without a significant chunk of change in his pocket. Rondo made his debut a earlier this month after missing about a month of time with a calf injury.
The Lakers are set to play the Grizzlies for the second time this season in about two hours at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.