Brooklyn Nets' Brook Lopez has dropped a proposal for a grudge match apparently between him or his twin brother Robin Lopez of Bulls against Serge Ibaka of Raptors, following NBA's new boxing bout on court that occurred during the game between Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. Lopez swing punch missed hitting the head of Ibaka. The two had an altercation during the third quarter resulting to exchange of missed punches before being separated by coaches and teammates.
Brook Lopez told ESPN that "maybe we'll get a grudge match" with Ibaka, in his apparent support to his twin brother. He said that his twin was doing a "dirty job" while he was "playing real basketball." The Lopez brothers were just doing what they do in NBA games, he added.
The heat broke out with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter. The scuffle erupted after Ibaka grabbed the ball and threw an elbow near the back of Lopez following a three-pointer by Bulls' Jimmy Batler. As Lopez fell backward into Ibaka, he took a swipe of the ball. Ibaka seemed to shove Lopez. And then exchance of punches: first by Lopez but he missed Ibaka, who responded by taking a swing at the enemy. As they separated by the coaches and teammates, the warring two continued shouting harsh words. Both were ejected following a long review. Brook Lopez might have been mad as his twin got suspended.
From there, the Raptors forced the game into overtime earning a 122-120 victory. Feeling victorious, Ibaka at the end of the game told reporters that what happened was natural thing in physical basketball. He complained that Lopez just got frustrated. This did not sit well to Brook Lopez who said he was pulling for Ibaka.
Ibaka justified, saying that the game was "pretty intense, pretty emotional game" and pushing always happened but then Lopez suddenly threw a punch, that as a man, he added, he had to counter it "to defend himself." Lopez got suspended that on Wednesday the Bulls had no center as Cristiano Felicio was sidelined with a back injury. Brook Lopez could not much help on this.
(Radio News/YouTube)
