The NBA news wire went nuts when Serge Ibaka hit Blake Griffin below the belt when the Oklahoma City Thunder took on the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Kobe Bryant spoke to ESPN about the hit on March 5 and said, if it had been him, he would have smacked Ibaka for the low blow.
"I probably would have smacked [Ibaka] in the mouth," Kobe said. "I would have dealt with the pain after."
The incident happened when Harrison Barnes was setting up to shoot a three. Blake Griffin and Serge Ibaka were squared up under the basket and that is when Ibaka let his arm swing, connecting a shot right into the groin of Griffin. Ibaka received a flagrant foul, but the officials did not eject Ibaka from the game after watching the replay.
It is now up to the NBA on whether they will suspend Ibaka for the low blow, and that will probably be determined by whether or not they decide it was intentional or not.
Griffin was in pain, and looked shocked after the play. When he finally got back to his feet, he just watched Ibaka, but didn't show the passion or anger than Kobe said he would have shown. After the game, Griffin said that sometimes things get taken too far, but he said he never provoked Ibaka.
The Los Angeles Lakers play the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight in Oklahoma City, and humorously, Dwight Howard said he will definitely wear a cup.
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