SportsPulse: Warriors minority owner Mark Stevens was banned from NBA games for one year and fined $500,000. However, Kyle Lowry thinks the punishment should have been stronger. USA TODAY
OAKLAND, Calif. – Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry does not believe Golden State minority owner Mark Stevens should be part of the NBA after the shoving and expletive-laced comments directed at Lowry during Game 3 of the Finals on Wednesday.
“There’s no place for that,” Lowry told reporters Thursday afternoon at Oracle Arena, adding, “a guy like that, showing his true class, and he shouldn't be a part of our league. There's just no place for that. …
“That's my personal opinion. That's just how I feel. We have had situations like this before and the league has done the right thing. That's protecting the players and protecting the image of the league.”
The NBA banned Stevens for one year and fined him $500,000, and the Warriors released a statement condemning his actions and apologizing to Lowry and the Raptors.
“I appreciate the Warriors again for their apology, the NBA for stepping up and we'll see what happens from there,” Lowry said.
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Lowry also confirmed that Stevens told him to “Go (expletive) yourself” multiple times during the incident. Raptors guard Fred VanVleet also heard the comments, Lowry told USA TODAY Sports.
“I don't think I could have handled it any better,” Lowry said. “I'm glad I did what I did, and I understand that things could have been a lot different if I reacted a different way or if I did something or put my hands on him or did anything of that nature.”
The incident happened early in the fourth quarter of Toronto’s 123-109 victory against Golden State which gave the Raptors a 2-1 series lead. Lowry dove into the front row seats on the sidelines opposite Golden State’s bench. Stevens gave Lowry an antagonistic shove and uttered the profane statements.
How did Lowry keep his cool?
“Understanding that at the moment my team needed me,” Lowry said. “Understanding that there are plenty of fans and kids in the world watching this game. Me being a grown man, having kids myself. I'm a grown man and my kids could always go back and see that.
“If it wasn't in this situation, things may have been -- they probably would have been done differently, handled differently by me. But understanding that I have two young children and being able to hold myself to a certain standard, which I do, I hold myself to a high, high standard. And I have to make sure that I uphold that.”
Lowry had his best game of the series – 23 points and nine assists – and continued to excel after the incident.
“I was furious, I'm not going to lie,” Lowry said. “It took me a couple minutes. I think it was a foul. The ball came in play. I was still thinking about it, and the foul was called. I believe we called a timeout. I was pretty upset.
"Marc Gasol kind of came to me and said, ‘Look, come on, we need you, kind of come back. They will handle it.’ And Freddie and Kawhi (Leonard) and those guys, Danny (Green), said ‘We need you to stay in this moment and understand the situation that we were in as a basketball game.’ “
He thanked the Warriors for their support and noted he appreciates Golden State’s primary owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber.
“And I know Joe Lacob. Those guys are great guys,” Lowry said. “The ownership that they have that I know, they're unbelievable guys.”
Lowry said Stevens has not reached out to him.
“He should understand this is what happens,” Lowry said. “This is basketball. I'm competing. I'm trying to save a basketball. I'm trying to help my team get a possession. It just sucks, man. It just sucks that you got people like that.”
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