LeBron James was ejected from the LA Lakers clash with the Detroit Pistons following a flailing elbow to his opponent's eye.
The incident took place immediately after a free throw as the pair fought for a rebound in the early stages of the third quarter.
This is when the small forward's elbow struck Isiah Stewart in the face.
Blood began to stream from around his eye and the 20-year-old erupted and made a beeline for four-time NBA champion.
Fellow teammates and coaching staff held him back as the pair began to yell at each other as the chaos ensued.
As he continued to find a way to James, Stewart was handed multiple technical fouls before his eventual ejection, while LeBron was removed from the game for "unnecessary and excessive contact above the shoulder" during the altercation with Detroit player.
James has played a staggering 1,318 career regular-season games and this marked just the second time he had been ejected.
He did not take questions from the media after the game, but teammate Anthony Davis shared his thoughts on the incident.
"Everyone in the league knows LeBron isn't a dirty guy," he said, after scoring 30 points with 10 rebounds.
"As soon as he did it, he looked back and told (Stewart), 'My bad. I didn't try to do it.' I don't know what (Stewart) tried to do. Nobody on our team, 1-15, was having it."
Pistons coach Dwayne Casey said Stewart was very disappointed with what took place and explained his player's outburst after being struck.
"(Stewart) was upset. I told him, 'Don't let this define who you are. It doesn't define your game whatsoever.'
"I felt for the young man because he's such a competitor and he plays so hard. He's a great kid but he felt like he got cheap-shotted across his brow and on the street, it would be a different story.
"I don't think he should be facing anything from the league. He didn't get off the floor in time, and the league will have to decide about that, and I thought that was why he was ejected from the game. "
The Lakers rallied and outscored their opponents by 17 following James's exit from the game and prevailed 121-116.
The 2020 NBA champions took their record this season to nine wins and nine losses, and are currently eighth in the Western Conference.
James had just returned to the team on Saturday following an abdominal injury, and he will be determined to build on his side's vital win at the Little Caesars Arena on Sunday.
