Five years ago, at the very beginning of the 2018-2019 NBA season, Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo got into a heated scuffle. During the dying minutes of the closely contested Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets matchup, the point guards of the two teams got into an argument. In no time, the argument led to a full-fledged brawl.
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Right after Brandon Ingram and James Harden shared a few words, it seemed like Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo were having a heated discussion. Things saw an ugly turn of events once Rondo spat on the Point God. Feeling disrespected, CP3 poked the Lakers star’s eye. Eventually, Rondo responded with a series of punches.
Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, and Brandon Ingram received multiple-game suspensions
During the 21st October 2018 clash between the Rockets and the Lakers, Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul exchanged multiple, nasty jabs. While LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker, and a few security guards tried separating the two players, Brandon Ingram sneaked in and landed a mean punch on CP3.
Basketball On X took us on a trip down memory lane by posting a clip of the incident five years after it occurred.
5 Years Ago Today
Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul had one of the wildest NBA fight
— BASKETBALL ON (@BasketballOnX) October 20, 2023
Ultimately, thanks to James Harden’s 36-point outburst, Mike D’Antoni’s boys clinched a huge 124-115 win. Despite having been ejected with more than four minutes remaining in the game, Paul had a massive impact on the game with 28 points and 10 assists.
The NBA decided to slap all three – Paul, Rondo, and Ingram – with hefty fines. CP3 received a two-game suspension and was fined a total of $491,782. Despite being suspended for more games, LAL’s Rondo (three games) and BI (four games) were only fined $186,207 and $158,816, respectively.
Rondo has 2 more Championships than CP3
Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul are two playmaking, pass-first point guards. Even though CP3 is the superior player, Rondo has won more Championships.
Paul has been a part of several Championship-contending teams that failed to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy. The Clippers, the Rockets, and the Suns were all legit powerhouses. However, the 6ft guard failed to prevail victorious.
On the other hand, Rondo played a crucial role in the two Championship-winning squads he was a part of – the 2008 Boston Celtics and the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers.
