Indiana Pacers center JaKarr Sampson was ejected from Monday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs after a physical confrontation with Patty Mills and Rudy Gay.
With 9:43 left in the game, Aaron Holiday made a layup to bring the Pacers within 84-70 but it appeared Sampson didn’t like the hard box out by Mills on the play. As the Spurs came back down the court, Sampson initiated contact, shoved Mills then got in his face.
“He’s one of those guys that doesn’t get involved in that kind of ruckus,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Mills in the San Antonio News Express. “He’s too sweet.”
Sampson is 7 inches taller and 35 pounds heavier than Mills, and the Gay stepped in to confront Sampson before teammates separated the players.
Technical fouls were called on Mills and Sampson, another technical was called on Gay and Sampson was assessed a Type 2 flagrant foul, resulting in his ejection.
The Spurs beat the Pacers 109-94.
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Contact IndyStar Deputy Sports Editor Nat Newell at (317) 444-6182 or nat.newell@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NatJNewell.
