Zach Randolph Ejected for Throwing a Punch at Suns' Amundson

PHOENIX -- The Suns were playing their first game under new head coach Alvin Gentry, and they came out with an energy that the Clippers had trouble matching. They jumped out to an early lead, put up 81 points by halftime, and led by as many as 52 before cruising to a 140-100 victory.

Most of the action that didn't involve the Suns scoring at will came at the end of the first quarter, when Zach Randolph threw a punch at Lou Amundson, which got him an immediate ejection and is also likely to get him a multiple-game suspension. (Update: Randolph was suspended two games.)

So from where I was sitting, it seemed like Randolph was fighting for rebounding position, threw an elbow that knocked Amundson to the ground, then stood over him in an attempt to either taunt or intimidate. Amundson gets up, tells Zach what he's doing isn't cool (or something), and then takes a left hook to the face.

After the game, Randolph attempted to explain his actions, but since the incident happened in the first quarter and he'd had plenty of time to cool off, he didn't seem to be taking it all that seriously.

"He ran up in my face, I just got him up out of my face," Randolph said. "He hopped up, got in my face and almost kissed me in my mouth, so I just pushed him out of my face."

When asked if the punch he landed was with an open hand, Randolph said that indeed it was.

"Yeah, open hand. If I would have hit him he wouldn't have got up off the ground," Randolph said with a laugh.

I wonder if he'll still be laughing once that suspension comes down from the commissioner's office. Probably.

Meanwhile, Amundon had his own perspective on the main event.

"Basically, he just threw me down when I was going for a rebound," Amundson said. "I was on the floor and could feel him on top of me, kind of like stepping on me -- I don't know what he was trying to do. So I got up, and I was pretty upset about the whole situation, got in his face, then he did what he did."

I asked Lou if Randolph caught him with an open hand, and he said "Yeah, open hand." When I told him about what Randolph said, that if it was a closed fist that Amundson probably wouldn't have gotten up, Lou agreed.

"Probably so, but he would have been sitting out a little longer than he is," Amundson said. "I'm not going to back down from anybody, I don't care who you are in this league."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

2-18-2009 @ 9:55AM

FRANK said...

Randolph and Isiah perfect together;
Smart move from the knicks the new
administration that is not the old one
that got rid off Randolph, firm.

2-18-2009 @ 11:26AM

Harpie said...

Throw that bum out for the rest of the season! It wasn't just the punch, but his thuggish actions before the punch, too. What an a-hole.

2-18-2009 @ 12:08PM

mooktv said...

Why do people pay to go see these tatood up gang bangers? I wouldn't waste a nickle.

2-18-2009 @ 12:10PM

Becky said...

what a fool! Zac sucks anyways! kick him out of the league

2-18-2009 @ 12:16PM

knicks chick said...

Zach Randolph has always been a troublemaker. I wasn't happy when he came to the Knicks, but he surprised me by flying under the radar while he was in New York (minus the early traffic violations of course!). I guess we'll see if his frustration and aggression remain when he comes back to the Garden on March 25th to play the Knicks!

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2-18-2009 @ 1:10PM

quietstorm99 said...

Your a waste of space your mom should have swallowed! Anyways white black whatever it shouldnt have been done

2-18-2009 @ 1:14PM

Bill Morrison said...

Really .. Randolf is an A-hole... But all the of the racial comments are uncalled for... Monkey? Niggar? (please teach your ingnorant-ass how to spell) An A-hole is an A-hole, white, black or striped.

Caucasion in N.C.

2-18-2009 @ 1:22PM

EVeryone just chill... karma will fix him!

2-18-2009 @ 1:43PM

PITTY said...

I say let them duke it out like Hockey. If 2 players start to get under each others skin, then let them go. If they get their ass kicked, maybe they wont be so quick to want to try and intimidate and start a fight next time. There is always gonna be someone that will put them back in their place if they think their a tough guy. That would stop all this horse shit intimidation tactics and flagrant fouling because they know they can get away with it with a slap on the wrist and a day off.

2-18-2009 @ 2:29PM

mercuriojoe said...

take that piece of garbage and throw him out of basketball. Another fine african american athlete

bfb0408 said...

He should be suspended indefinitely. Before he can play again issue an apology to the player he punched Do public service announcements on the importance of not punching anyone. Then apply for re enstatement. He would also donate his pay for the first 20 regular games he played to poor kids.

2-18-2009 @ 5:13PM

James W. Lambdin Jr. said...

He should be charged with assault and be treated like any other criminal.

2-18-2009 @ 4:04PM

richrokosz said...

Why is it blacks always attack whites in basketball games?

2-21-2009 @ 9:53PM

David said...

I went to high school with Randolph. He was always an A-Hole, always starting trouble. I'm sick of all these athletes getting paid millions of dollars and sill acting like thugs. I say throw him out of the league, take his million dollar mansion away and throw him right out on the street. All these spoiled athletes, they make way too much money Take away all their millions, maybe that will make them appriciate what they have. I played high school basketball with Randolph. Believe me, I don't even know how he got in the NBA. They guy can't even play.

2-18-2009 @ 4:49PM

Giles said...

The racist monkey idiot thugs pretending to be white aside, it didn`t
look like an open hand to me. Looked like Zack was turned down for a
date, and out played, so thru a punch. Wasn`t an accident Louis went
down, or that Zack was barking at him, either. It is an old locker
room dodge, if guys think someone is letting someone else be too
physical, they taught the pacify guy about wanting sex with him.
Looked like the Lakers did that to Kurt Rambis one time, Kurt
panicked, Ray Williams tried sadly explaining he wasn`t gay, just
6`2/6`3, having to be physical against 6`7/6`8. Of course, that mini
ponytail Louis has doesn`t help him there, but this was not about
race, though bigotry was certainly part of it, and the two are also
different races. I`m sure Shaq will tell Zack to kiss him and Lou
both, on the bottom. Zack isn`t the big man when those two teams
meet, Shaq is. As for Zack not taking the incident seriously, and
shooting off his mouth about how the man he punched wouldn`t have
been getting up, that wasn`t just the length of time since the
incident. It was proof he wasn`t a man, just a big, strong spoiled brat, who didn`t understand the
gravity of his own actions. Thought punching a guy he thought was
queer was socially acceptable, since it was acceptable to him. Part
of the denial Oprah has done shows about. Most of the media,
including pro sports, the men were earrings, are gay, but it is only
if an opposing team is badly outplaying a guy, and the guy can`t admit he
isn`t man enough to beat them, the guys start barking about how the
better team/man doesn`t deserve to win because they think he is gay.
Let him punch LeBron James, who wears 2 earrings, but is 250, or Shaq,
who has worn 2 but is 350, if he thinks he can prove he is the better
man that way. He isn`t. He`s just a loser who has been almost good
enough to make all star, but not guite.

2-18-2009 @ 7:51PM

john said...

This kind of action is not called for in professional sports, but the racial slurs are really a slap in our faces. We have come so far at seeing everyone as equals. How long does racism have to exist? Why can't we all get along!!

2-19-2009 @ 8:40PM

Terry said...

To para phrase our new President. "Typicl Knee Grow".
From the FBI: Black males age 14 - 35, commit 56.6% of all violent crime in America while they comprise less than 3.5% of the population, and contribute less than 1/10 of 1% to the gross national product.

2-19-2009 @ 8:42PM

It is never racism when you speak the truth.

From the FBI: Black males age 14 - 35, commit 56.6% of all violent crime in America while they comprise less than 3.5% of the population, and contribute less than 1/10 of 1% to the gross national product.

2-20-2009 @ 7:29PM

coachbill said...

You know, the racial crap needs to stop. If you're trying to be funny, you aren't. If you're serious, that's sad.
Racial BS aside, this isn't the first time Randolph has gotten into it like this. He ain't any good, but he ain't afraid to throw down either. However - and this is another reason I hate the NBA, the favortism - David Stern and his cronies don't have the brains or balls to seriously do anything about it (like a suspension for the rest of the season).
This is why discussions like this don't take place in the NHL, where fighting is needed and warranted. This deep into his career, Randolph already would have paid with some missing teeth, a few shiners, sticks in the back of the knees, knee-on-knee hits and the like. He would get his on the ice, but never on the hardwood.