Brandon Ingram was ejected in the third quarter of Thursday’s showdown between the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder.
With just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter and New Orleans up by 10, the Thunder came away with a strip and got the ball into Isaiah Roby’s hands.
Roby quickly went up for a layup, only to get smacked in the head hard by Ingram.
Officials ruled the play a flagrant 2 and kicked Ingram out of the game.
After the fact, a debate raged on whether such a harsh punishment was justified. Ingram definitely got Roby on the head hard, but it seemed like he both attempted to and actually succeeded in going for the ball as well.
Before getting the boot, Ingram scored 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field and 2-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. He also chipped in seven rebounds, two assists and one block in 26 minutes.
New Orleans ultimately walked away with a 113-80 win over the Thunder.
Potential suspension notwithstanding, Ingram has been an absolute stud this season. He recently revealed in an interview that he didn’t particularly enjoy playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, but that he is having a great time with the Pelicans – and it’s definitely showing.
Ingram is a star on the rise, and he appears to be in great position to have a truly spectacular 2020-21 campaign.
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