Rajon Rondo said he was joking with official Rodney Mott when he bumped into him on Saturday during the Boston Celtics' game against the Atlanta Hawks.
Rajon Rondo disagrees with one-game suspension
The Boston Celtics’ Rajon Rondo was suspended for bumping into official Rodney Mott on Saturday, but the point guard said he was joking with the referee at the time.
USA TODAY Sports
The NBA didn't think it was funny. The league suspended Rondo for a game, which the point guard served Monday as the Celtics faced the New York Knicks.
Rondo told The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn that he disagreed with the league’s decision:
“The league thought it was a big deal. I don’t feel there was a need to have an investigation. I know Rodney and that particular time with that play, I actually went up to him and I made a joke, he laughed and in the midst, I did touch him and the league I guess reviewed it, the media blew it up, on SportsCenter or whatever and I served a one-game suspension.”
The league also ruled that Rondo didn’t cooperate with the investigation.
The incident occurred after Rondo was called for an offensive foul by colliding into Hawks forward Josh Smith in the third quarter of Boston's 89-81 victory against Atlanta. Rondo disagreed with the call, and said he told Mott he thought the 6'9 forward flopped on the play.
Rondo did admit he made contact with Mott, but it had no ill will.
Boston won against New York, 102-96, on Monday without their starting guard.
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