D'Antoni: Paul's 2-game suspension 'just not equitable'
Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni is having a difficult time comprehending why the NBA handed down a multiple-game suspension to point guard Chris Paul for his role in Saturday's brawl at Staples Center.
"It's just not equitable," said D'Antoni prior to Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. "It's not equitable. If you watch the film, you watch the spit, you watch this and that, it's just ... I understand maybe he gets one, but what is he supposed to do? Just stand there and get spit on and then take a punch in the face and then say, 'well that's OK?' That doesn't make any sense to me.
"They're (NBA) doing the best they can do. It's a hard situation. I understand that. We'll go on. We'll be fine. I just don't think it's equitable."
Paul was suspended two games without pay for what the league described in an official statement as "poking at and making contact with the face of (Rajon) Rondo, and throwing multiple punches at him."
Related: Suspensions handed down to Ingram, Rondo, Paul for Rockets-Lakers fight
The Rockets apparently sent a game video to the league office early Sunday which may show Rondo spitting in Paul's direction, although Rondo was reportedly "adamant" that he did no such thing when explaining himself to Lakers brass.
"I came in and I knew that he (Paul) wouldn't tell me something that would get me in trouble if I said something," said D'Antoni when asked if his opinion on the brawl changed after seeing the Rondo spit video. "He was straight-up honest. He was apologetic, and he apologized to the team. He didn't want it to happen that way. In the heat of the moment, when somebody does that, I mean that's tough. That's really tough.
"I don't know what they expect him to do. If you wanted to suspend him one (game), I get it. Just to make a statement. When you talk monetarily, he's paying three times more than what the other guys are paying for missing games, that doesn't seem to be right."
Along with Sunday's matchup with the Clippers, Paul will also be absent for Wednesday's contest against the Utah Jazz.