Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer expects the NBA to review an incident in which the Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas struck the Hawks’ Dennis Schroder in the head during the first quarter of Game 3 of their playoff series Friday.
Replays clearly showed Thomas hit Schroder in the head by moving his arm upward as the two were running down court. Moments later, they had to be separated when Schroder was called for a foul on Thomas. Referees reviewed that incident and assessed double technical fouls.
“I have seen it back in the locker room,” Budenholzer said of the incident. “My thoughts are the league will review it. The league does a thorough job on all things like this. They have high standards. All teams are aware of their emphasis during the playoffs.”
League policy is to review all technical fouls. Thomas faces a possible suspension should the league deem the blow deliberate.
Thomas scored a career-high 42 points in the Celtics’ 111-103 victory in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The Hawks lead the best-of-seven series, 2-1.
Schroder said one of the referees apologized to him at halftime, saying he didn’t see the incident.
“I’m not going to let nobody slap me in my face,” Schroder told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I told (Thomas) that. If you want to play like that, we’ll play like that. I was mad.”
Thomas said following the game that he is not concerned about a league review and possible suspension.
“I’m not because I didn’t mean to hit him in the head,” Thomas said. “He got mad. He was talking but it’s playoff basketball. That’s what it’s about. I’m not going to back down from anybody. And he knows that.”
After the double technical fouls, the game also featured three Flagrant I fouls, including one on Schroder.
Following the game, Schroder posted on social media a picture of Thomas hitting him with the following comment (sic): “Woow … they calling a flagrant foul on me! Where I try to protect myself!!! But Isiah Thomas can hit me in the face!” The posted was soon deleted.
Al Horford said he thinks such incidences need to be handled in-game.
“I feel like they look the other way on that kind of stuff,” Horford told the AJC. “Those kind of issues need to be addressed in-game. I mean after the game, it’s too late.”
Kyle Korver said he did not see the incident during the game. However, he noted teams were warned about such actions before the start of the playoffs.
“I know that Bud read us a really long memo before the playoffs started saying what would happen if you threw a punch,” Korver said. “So, I guess we’ll see what happens.”
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