s_knight8
2004-04-11 17:59:44 UTC
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/la-sp-lakerep11apr11,1,6896473.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba
After the Lakers' one-hour practice Saturday and before the team left
for
Sacramento to play today's game against the Kings, Gary Payton was
asked about
his two verbal altercations with Memphis Coach Hubie Brown during and
after the
Lakers' 103-95 victory Friday.
Payton made it clear that he did not want to talk about Brown but even
his
no-comment had attitude.
"I don't want to talk about nothing, " Payton said with his voice
rising as he
walked off the court at the team's HealthSouth training facility in El
Segundo.
"Nothing happened, nothing."
Brown and Payton first got into it in the third quarter after a foul
was called
on the Grizzlies' Jason Williams.
Before Payton could shoot his free throws, Brown began complaining to
officials
and then got into a colorful conversation with the Laker point guard.
Because Payton is known as one of the NBA's best talkers, not much was
made of
the incident until the two men ran into each other in the parking area
after
the game.
According to witnesses, Brown and Payton were nose to nose cursing at
each
other before Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and others pulled Payton
away. No
contact was made nor any punches thrown.
"When I asked Gary [about the incident], I couldn't make out what he
said, but
he took about five minutes to say what whatever he was saying, " Laker
Coach
Phil Jackson joked. "He did say there was some cussing going on.
"I have a problem with Hubie Brown getting into it with players. We
all
remember Zim [New York Yankee bench coach Don Zimmer] in the playoffs
against
Pedro Martinez; we don't have to revisit those type of things."
The Lakers said they expect the NBA to look into the matter, but not
until
Monday. Jackson said that he doesn't know what to expect the league to
do with
Payton, who has been fined at least $40,000 by the NBA this season.
"That obviously is something that I would be concerned about, "
Jackson said
about the possibility of the NBA's taking action against Payton.
After the Lakers' one-hour practice Saturday and before the team left
for
Sacramento to play today's game against the Kings, Gary Payton was
asked about
his two verbal altercations with Memphis Coach Hubie Brown during and
after the
Lakers' 103-95 victory Friday.
Payton made it clear that he did not want to talk about Brown but even
his
no-comment had attitude.
"I don't want to talk about nothing, " Payton said with his voice
rising as he
walked off the court at the team's HealthSouth training facility in El
Segundo.
"Nothing happened, nothing."
Brown and Payton first got into it in the third quarter after a foul
was called
on the Grizzlies' Jason Williams.
Before Payton could shoot his free throws, Brown began complaining to
officials
and then got into a colorful conversation with the Laker point guard.
Because Payton is known as one of the NBA's best talkers, not much was
made of
the incident until the two men ran into each other in the parking area
after
the game.
According to witnesses, Brown and Payton were nose to nose cursing at
each
other before Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and others pulled Payton
away. No
contact was made nor any punches thrown.
"When I asked Gary [about the incident], I couldn't make out what he
said, but
he took about five minutes to say what whatever he was saying, " Laker
Coach
Phil Jackson joked. "He did say there was some cussing going on.
"I have a problem with Hubie Brown getting into it with players. We
all
remember Zim [New York Yankee bench coach Don Zimmer] in the playoffs
against
Pedro Martinez; we don't have to revisit those type of things."
The Lakers said they expect the NBA to look into the matter, but not
until
Monday. Jackson said that he doesn't know what to expect the league to
do with
Payton, who has been fined at least $40,000 by the NBA this season.
"That obviously is something that I would be concerned about, "
Jackson said
about the possibility of the NBA's taking action against Payton.