The Los Angeles Lakers faced the Brooklyn Nets in the final game of their lengthy road trip, which began in the second half of January. During the game, however, an early moment involving Lakers forward Rui Hachimura sparked a more heated matchup between the two sides.

What Triggered the Player Confrontation?

During the second quarter, with about 3:30 left on the clock, Nets forward Noah Clowney brought the ball up the court, but slipped while handling it, leading to Hachimura immediately trying to grab the ball. The two were locked in a jump ball, prompting a referee to make a call.

However, after the call, Hachimura, who had been standing, pulled the ball, pulling Clowney to his feet in turn, causing a brief scuffle. Jaxson Hayes and other Lakers teammates had to separate the two, but things didn’t end there.

What Happened During the Technical?

Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez did not like the call, likely annoyed that Hachimura got away with pulling Clowney up, and loudly argued with the officials. Afterward, Fernandez was assessed a technical foul.

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This sequence is nothing new for Fernandez. Just a few days ago, when the Nets faced off against the Detroit Pistons, the Nets coach was assessed a technical foul in the first quarter after arguing with referees.

Clowney is known for being a hard-nosed player, and has previously been faced scrutiny from the officiating before. Back in December 2024, Clowney was ejected from a game against the San Antonio Spurs after pushing Jeremy Sochan and objecting to the call, arguing with referees and escalating the situation verbally.

Unfortunately for Clowney, he didn’t have his best night, and tonight’s game wasn’t particularly close. The Lakers ended their road trip by turning Barclays Center into a practice run, completely overwhelming the Nets for a 125-109 win.

From the opening tip, LA overwhelmed Brooklyn with pace and relentless pressure at the rim, starting out to a 45-point first quarter and almost 70-point first half, with the margin ballooning to almost 39 at halftime, basically deciding the game before the final buzzer.

Almost everyone in the Purple and Gold joined in on the early surge. Luka Doncic hit double figures early, LeBron James repeatedly punched through the paper-thin Nets defense with highlight dunks, and Austin Reaves was in rhythm in his return from calf injury. Jaxson Hayes and Jake LaRavia also chipped in early buckets, and Rui Hachimura played solid spot minutes.

The Nets tried to steady themselves after the break, shooting better while playing a competitive third quarter, but the game never shifted. Despite Michael Porter Jr. putting together a 21-point, 10-rebound game, the second half was little more than controlled basketball for the Lakers, and served as a quiet and uneventful close to a game which seemingly had already been decided.

For now, the Lakers are going to head back home to Crypto.com Arena to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, while the Nets will take a trip down to Kia Center to face off against the Orlando Magic.