A sluggish start to the 2021-22 season for the Lakers turned ugly late Friday night as big men Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard engaged in a late-game scuffle on Los Angeles's bench.
Davis and Howard began arguing late in the second quarter during a Phoenix timeout. Howard rose from his seat as the two talked, and he was then grabbed and shoved by Davis. Both players then tumbled into the Lakers bench before they were separated.
Both Davis and Howard downplayed the incident postgame.
"We just had a disagreement about something that was on the floor," Howard told reporters postgame. "We're grown men. Things happen. But we are going to squash this little issue between me and him, and that's my brother, that's my teammate."
Davis agreed with Howard's sentiment, noting the dispute was regarding Los Angeles's pick-and-roll defense, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Los Angeles appears to have resolved any internal strife after two games, though the situation on the court isn't exactly helping matters. The Lakers are now 0–2 after a 115-105 loss to the Suns, and they currently sit No. 24 in offensive rating.
LeBron James and Co. will have a chance to earn their first win of the season on Sunday as they face the Grizzlies. Tip-off from Staples Center is slated for 9:30 p.m. ET.
