Nick Young, Kendall Marshall clear air after Lakers’ scuffle with Suns

After earning an ejection against the Phoenix Suns and then criticizing his teammates for not having his back, Lakers guard Nick Young has made up with his teammates.

by Kevin Zimmerman

Jan 17, 2014, 6:40 PM UTC

Christian Petersen

The Los Angeles Lakers cleared the air in the wake of Nick Young's criticism that his teammates didn't protect him during a scuffle Wednesday against the Suns. According to the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan, Young said the team is "all good" after a team meeting.

Point guard Kendall Marshall, who criticized Young for not being smart by earning an ejection, took full blame for not helping his teammate avoid the altercation, reports Bresnahan:

Kendall Marshall on what team will do next time Young gets picked on: "We'll run over there, have 15 guys pick up Nick and carry him away"
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 17, 2014

Young began the skirmish after taking a hard foul from Suns center Alex Len, but after being ejected for throwing a punch at Goran Dragic, the Lakers guard criticized his teammates for not coming to his aid. Young said he felt like it was a "1-on-5" fight. Marshall didn't help the situation afterward by saying Young needed to "chill out," and an Internet meme showing Marshall watching the scuffle from beyond the three-point arc was blatant evidence he hadn't rushed to Young's side:

This seems relevant to the conversation. via @BrightSideSun pic.twitter.com/2E50uvD1yc
— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) January 16, 2014

Marshall took responsibility for his comments, and it seems the Lakers can use the meeting as a rallying point rather than allowing the situation to fester.

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Still, Los Angeles has lost 12 of its last 13 games, and it will be without Young on Friday night against the Boston Celtics due to his one-game suspension. The Lakers signed D-League guard Manny Harris to fill in a backcourt shallow in depth without Young, who will return for the final five games of an eastern road trip.