PHOENIX SUNS

Suns PG Cam Payne: ‘No vendettas’ after dust-up with Lakers’ Alex Caruso

May 24, 2021, 3:51 PM

Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (15) throws the basketball at Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso...

Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (15) throws the basketball at Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) behind referee Bill Kennedy, right, during the second half of Game 1 of their NBA basketball first-round playoff series Sunday, May 23, 2021, in Phoenix. The Suns defeated the Lakers 99-90. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Do we have a Goran Dragic-Sasha Vujacic situation on our hands?

It was more than a decade ago when the Suns’ Slovenian backup point guard and the Lakers’ Slovenian backup point guard clashed in the Western Conference Finals, the last time Phoenix was in the postseason.

There are no Slovenians involved in 2021, but Game 1 — a 99-90 Phoenix win — provided another altercation between backup guards from the Suns and Lakers.

A mad scramble following LeBron James’ free-throw miss led to a dust-up between Suns point guard Cam Payne and hard-nosed Lakers guard Alex Caruso. Payne was assessed two technicals, while Caruso and teammate Montrezl Harrell earned one apiece.

Payne had run into Caruso, and Caruso then took offense and attempted to tap the ball out of Payne’s hands. Payne threw the ball at Caruso’s feet, spurring Harrell to sprint across the court to break things up.

“I just felt like (Caruso) undercut me first and it was a no-call,” Payne told reporters Monday. “I didn’t mean to knock him … to the ground. Got to sell it. He fell. Then he came, retaliated and I retaliated. That’s probably the part I shouldn’t have did.

“It’s not something that I do. I apologized to every single player that walked in (to the locker room). After coach got done talking, I apologized to him. They was all on my side. They said they had my back. … I just want to win. That’s my only goal. I don’t have no vendettas against no players, not trying to get nobody. I’m just a competitor, to be honest.”

Payne may regret throwing the ball at Caruso after the Lakers guard reacted to being hit.

Even more weird, though, was that Harrell caused a gathering of both teams as he sprinted in the direction of the two guards and accidentally ran into Payne while attempting to separate the two players.

“It kind of came out of nowhere. I didn’t expect him to grab me. I was kind of weird,” Payne said. “What Trez did, I’m pretty sure it was all good intentions,” he added. “Asked me if I was good and I was fine. The play was over to me, it was all good — tick, tick, tick, I was going to be cool.”

“It was weird how they gave out the Ts, but it’s all part of the game, all part of the series, I’ll say.”

A series that got a little testy just one game in.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Phoenix Suns

Jusuf Nurkic...

Damon Allred

Jusuf Nurkic questionable for Suns’ matchup with Thunder; Bradley Beal no longer listed

The Phoenix Suns are listing center Jusuf Nurkic questionable for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

2 hours ago

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during th...

Kellan Olson

Suns respond to season’s low point with thorough win over Nuggets

The guessing game of which Suns team shows up on which night persists. The best current version did on Wednesday in a win over the Nuggets.

20 hours ago

Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the second half against the Boston Celtics at T...

David Veenstra

Bradley Beal in, Jusuf Nurkic out for Suns’ matchup with Nuggets

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal is active for Wednesday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets while center Jusuf Nurkic is out.

1 day ago

Tyler Kolek, Marquette...

Damon Allred

Here’s who Phoenix Suns fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

The Suns' first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft sits at No. 19 overall, and they could select a star from the NCAA Tournament.

1 day ago

Phoenix Suns take on San Antonio Spurs...

Arizona Sports

O’Neale: Phoenix Suns took Spurs ‘too lightly’ in glaring loss

The Phoenix Suns' lack of effort was on display Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs, leading to an honest film session.

2 days ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: Royce O’Neale: Suns took Spurs “a little too lightly”

Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale joined Burns & Gambo to talk about the team's disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, and to look ahead at the team's remaining schedule, as they continue to make a push toward the NBA playoffs.

2 days ago

Suns PG Cam Payne: ‘No vendettas’ after dust-up with Lakers’ Alex Caruso