First Take cohost Stephen A. Smith wanted LeBron James to be suspended after he elbowed Isaiah Stewart in the face.
“He’s gotta be suspended,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take. “I totally agree with Anthony Davis from the standpoint, he does not have a reputation as a dirty player, that’s not who LeBron James is. But that doesn’t mean that the play wasn’t dirty. You swung your elbow. And because you swung your elbow and it caused that kind of damage, that’s what sparked the incident.
“I don’t know much about Isaiah Stewart, respect his talent, he’s built like a middle linebacker. How he acted thereafter, I think he deserves to suspended for multiple games. You cannot act like that. He ran over numerous players, numerous coaches. I’m not talking about having to restrain him. He bulldozed over several dudes, including several coaches who are older men. He could have done harm to his teammates. We know he didn’t intend to do that.”
James was suspended for one game. Stewart was suspended for two.