Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay by the NBA, and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell fined $20,000 for their roles in an on-court incident on Thursday night.
The league announced the punishments on Friday.
Brooks swung and struck Mitchell in the groin area during the third quarter after the Grizzlies guard had fallen to the floor. Mitchell retaliated by throwing the ball at Brooks and then shoving him.
Both players were ejected in Cleveland's 128-113 win.
Afterward, Mitchell accused Brooks of being a dirty player.
"That鈥檚 just who he is,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen it a bunch in this league with him. Him and I have had our personal battles for years. There鈥檚 no place for that in the game. This has been brewing for years with me and other guys in the league. This isn鈥檛 new.鈥�
The league said Brooks will serve his suspension on Sunday, when the Grizzlies host the Toronto Raptors.
Initially, Mitchell was scheduled to speak with reporters in Cleveland's locker room. But the All-Star guard opted for the team's larger interview room so he could address the incident with Brooks.
鈥淚'm losing money,鈥� Mitchell said before answering questions.
Mitchell said he and Brooks have been feuding for years. He also noted that Brooks has had similar altercations with other players.
鈥淚鈥檓 not typically someone who gets ejected for stuff like that,鈥� Mitchell said. "But at the end of the day, I think my reaction was reacting to a cheap shot. If punishment doesn鈥檛 come from that, he鈥檚 just going to keep doing it.
"It鈥檚 just dumb to be honest with you and I鈥檓 going to appeal it because I don鈥檛 think I should鈥檝e gotten ejected for defending myself.鈥�
Before his ejection, Mitchell was having a rough night. He scored just six points on 2-of -1 shooting in 22 minutes while being guarded by Brooks. The two had matched up regularly when Mitchell played for Utah.
"That was cool when we were just talking, but that right there, a line has to be drawn,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淭he NBA has to do something about it. I鈥檓 not the only person this has happened to and there鈥檚 no place for that in this game.
"I took matters into my own hands. When you have a cheap shot like that, there was no need to do that.鈥�
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Tom Withers, The Associated Press
