D’Antoni on Rockets-Lakers fight: ‘Glad they didn’t suspend Boris Diaw again’

Former Phoenix Suns coach Mike D’Antoni’s Houston Rockets found themselves in a mini-brawl Saturday night.

A shove from Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram started a series of scuffles that escalated when teammate Rajon Rondo appeared to spit on Rockets point guard Chris Paul, leading to punches thrown.

Earning suspensions, Ingram (four games), Rondo (three) and Paul (two) were dolled out punishments by the league. The two Lakers will miss a Wednesday meeting in Phoenix against the Suns, but D’Antoni, who said Paul’s suspension isn’t equitable, got a feeling of déjà vu from his days coaching the Suns.

“It’s tough. I understand it’s tough,” the Rockets coach said. “I’ve been there before. I’m just glad they didn’t suspend Boris Diaw again.

“But anyway, it is what it is.”

D’Antoni, of course, is referring to the 2007 playoff series between Phoenix and the San Antonio Spurs, when Suns forwards Amare Stoudemire and Diaw left the bench when Robert Horry hip-checked Phoenix guard Steve Nash into the scorer’s table.

Ruling by the letter of the law, the NBA suspended the Suns big men after the Game 4 victory, perhaps turning the tide in a tied conference semifinals series that the Spurs won with two victories thereafter.

It seems that D’Antoni still isn’t over those suspensions. Now, he just seems resigned to the regularly-questionable punishments handed out by the league.

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