Houston Rockets: Chris Paul doesn’t care about rematch with Rajon Rondo

Chris Paul #3 of the Houston Rockets drives on Rajon Rondo #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Chris Paul #3 of the Houston Rockets drives on Rajon Rondo #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Months after an early season scuffle between Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo, the Houston Rockets guard says he has moved past the incident.

Last season, the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers lit NBA Twitter on fire after details leaked about a post game altercation as Chris Paul led his Rockets teammates through the secret tunnels of the Staples Center for an ambush in the opponent’s locker room.

We later learned that the details might have been slightly over exaggerated, but it was a captivating story nonetheless.

This season, the Rockets again made headlines in Staples Center, except this time against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the second game of the season, things between Houston and LA got a little chippy after Brandon Ingram pushed James Harden from behind, drawing an immediate tech from the refs. In the moments that followed, Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo exchanged a few words. On the replay, Paul pushes his finger into Rondo’s face, Rondo throws a left hook and then the two point guards exchange blows before they’re separated and ejected.

At first glance, Paul seemed to escalate the entire situation, because he put his hand in Rondo’s face. But after a closer look, cameras picked up Rondo spitting in Paul’s face before Paul ever made contact with him. In the end, the NBA suspended Brandon Ingram for four games, Rajon Rondo sat out for three games and Chris Paul got the lightest suspension with two games.

The Rockets submitted this video to the NBA as the league investigates last night's fight at Staples Center. (via @Rachel__Nichols) pic.twitter.com/do5DgMVDJN

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 21, 2018

With All-Star Weekend now in the rear view mirror, this mid October incident seems like it was a couple of seasons ago. Chris Paul told the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen that he has forgotten about the event.

“There’s a lot of worse things that have happened since then. I forgot about it. Once the fine, write the check, move on.”

Obviously, players are always sure to say the right thing to the media, but Paul obviously felt disrespected by Rondo after he spat on him and it’s safe to say they aren’t the best of friends.

These guys are competing at the highest level and once they step out on the floor, Paul is going to do everything he can to walk out of Staples Center with a victory after what happened back in October. If the Rockets can get a win on Thursday night, they’ll win the season series against the Lakers 4-0.

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