NBA commissioner David Stern was on ESPN Radio with Colin Cowherd on Monday morning and was asked what his eyes told him about Rajon Rondo bumping referee Marc Davis in the closing minute of last night’s Celtics-Hawks game (story HERE). From the sound of Stern, it doesn’t seem like Rondo is going to avoid a suspension for his actions.
“I don’t want to pre-judge on what the recommendation is going to be,” Stern said. “But as a fan, he obviously bumped him. And you know what happens with respect to that.”
There have been three instances this season where a player or coach has been suspended for a game for bumping a referee.
“We have a hard and fast rule,” Stern said. “Unless somebody trips you and sends you into him, nobody touches a referee. That’s the proposition.”
Rondo did appear to stumble briefly on Davis’ feet while arguing the call, but it’s unclear whether the trip led to the subsequent bump.
We should find out later today whether the NBA suspends Rondo for the Celtics’ Game 2 against the Hawks on Tuesday.