During the first quarter of the LA Clippers’ win over the New York Knicks, former Knick Charles Oakley got into an altercation in the stands and was later arrested.
It’s not something that NBA fans regularly see. Usually, media manages to keep focus off any trouble that happens in the stands during games, but this was a special occasion. During the game, the former Knicks’ big man, Charles Oakley, got into a shoving match during the 1st quarter of the Clippers and Knicks game. Clippers’ coach Doc Rivers stood with a look of bewilderment as he saw a former teammate get escorted out of the arena. He later commented, “That was tough to watch.”
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The incident was enough to distract players and stop them from lining up for free throws. ESPN commentator, Mike Breen, was taken back by the incident. He noted that Oakley and the Knicks have not had the best relationship over the past few years.
Oakley was charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of criminal trespass. He was released later and will appear in court. The Knicks released the following PR Statement:
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) February 9, 2017
Trouble in New York
This incident comes on the heels of more trouble for the Knicks. Over the past few weeks, rumors of a Carmelo Anthony trade have swirled. The rumors have been perpetuated by Phil Jackson’s comments regarding the player, including an ominous tweet. Carmelo has brushed these issues off, but there is definitely some uneasiness within the organization. The Clippers have been near the center of these trade rumors, but Doc Rivers was quick to downplay them before Wednesdays game, stating:
"“I didn’t know it was an option,” Doc Rivers said. “I don’t know. Call them [the Knicks]. We don’t have Carmelo. I swear to God we don’t. He plays for the Knicks. So that’s your story and that’s the way we leave it. You can ask us about our guys. Carmelo is not on our team.”"
The Clippers’ coach also had the quote of the night when asked about what was racing through his mind when he saw the Charles Oakley incident going down:
Doc Rivers on Charles Oakley incident: "I thought for a second I was gonna run down there, but then I thought, what the hell am I gonna do?"
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 9, 2017
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