NBA is looking into altercation
Reports: Ex-Lakers teammates got into fight in California.
The NBA is investigating the incident between Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes and Knicks coach and former teammate Derek Fisher, a situation Barnes said is a “personal matter” involving someone who was a good friend at one point.
“Life happens, and being a professional athlete, you have to be able to maneuver and separate your personal life from your professional life,” Barnes said Thursday after the Grizzlies’ morning shootaround, noting the league’s investigation of the incident in California.
A person with knowledge of the situation said the incident occurred Saturday while Fisher was attending a gathering at the Santa Barbara home of Barnes’ estranged wife, Gloria Govan.
The New York Post, citing an anonymous source, reported the altercation was because Fisher is dating Govan. TMZ. com reported that an eyewitness said Barnes came into the backyard where Fisher was and punched him in the mouth.
Fisher and Barnes were teammates with the Lakers from 2010 to 2012. The Grizzlies wrapped up training camp in Santa Barbara earlier Saturday.
At Knicks’ practice Thursday in Greenburgh, N.Y., Fisher wouldn’t comment when asked if he might press charges.
Memphis acquired Barnes in a draft-day trade in June.
Thunder: In his first game back from the fractured right foot that derailed Oklahoma City’s season last year, it seemed almost as if Durant had never left. The former MVP scored 15 points on 5-for8 shooting and had four assists in 22 minutes of the Thunder’s preseason opener against the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
More importantly, Durant showed no ill effects from the devastating injury that required three surgeries to repair and eight months to rehabilitate.
“I felt great,” Durant said. “I think it was a little different. I haven’t been in my routine in a while as far as going to shootaround, taking my nap, getting to the game. So all that stuff was different. But once I got on the court, I felt right at home.”
Pelicans: Center Omer Asik is expected to be sidelined about three weeks with a right calf strain. The club says the 7-footer strained his calf in practice on Wednesday. The Pelicans open their regular season at Golden State on Oct. 27. It remains unclear if Asik will be ready for that game.