Watch: Isaiah, Rondo ejected after heated exchange
Isaiah Thomas and Rajon Rondo get a little chippy and both get ejected 😳 pic.twitter.com/RaHLHgnUDu
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 15, 2018
Rajon Rondo and Isaiah Thomas have been tossed.
The two point guards got overly physical with each other and exchanged words before being separated during Wednesday's contest between the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers. They were hit with a double-technical foul and then another tech immediately afterward to end their night late in the first quarter.
Rondo, who spent more than eight years with the Boston Celtics and helped them win a title in 2008, questioned what Thomas has done with the C's to deserve a tribute video on the same night as Paul Pierce's jersey retirement.
"What has he done?" Rondo asked.
Thomas became a fan favorite over two-plus seasons in Beantown, emerging as a top-five MVP candidate last season and leading Boston to the conference finals. He played through multiple injuries during the playoff run and refused to miss time despite the death of his younger sister, Chyna.
"Oh, that's what we celebrate around here?" Rondo followed up.
"This is the Boston Celtics. This isn't the Phoenix Suns, no disrespect to any other organization, but you don't hang conference titles. Do we hang going to the conference finals? What do we hang here?"
Thomas ultimately called off the video tribute, and was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Lakers by the time No. 34 went up to the rafters at TD Garden.
His new coach Luke Walton was later ejected from the contest.