LeBron James was suspended for one game with an elbow injury; Isaiah Stewart was suspended for two games

NBA star Lakers forward LeBron James was suspended for "recklessly hitting" Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, causing his face to bleed and eight stitches. Stewart will be suspended for two games, citing "repeated and aggressive pursuit" of James in a way that violates sportsmanship, thus exacerbating the on-court brawl.

The game took place with 9:18 left in the third quarter when James and Stewart boxed each other as Pistons forward Jerami Grant made a free throw. James pulled his left forearm away from his body, and his clenched fist grabbed the right side of Stewart's face, opening a hole above his right eye.

James seemed remorseful in the moment after the elbow blow and held out his arm to Stuart, who was knocked down. Stewart got up and confronted James, causing several players, coaches, logisticians and officials to block the separation.

Stewart sometimes had to be bound by as many as five or six people, and often got rid of them and rushed towards James. Stewart eventually beat some of the support staff, knocking them down on the pitch. Pistons head coach and rookies stepped in to stop Stewart, who was bleeding from his cheeks.

James' elbow was blatantly fouled, resulting in an automatic exit from the game. This marks James' second expulsion from the game in his 19 seasons. After Stewart let him off the court for nearly two minutes, Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook was also convicted of a technical foul.

Referee Scott Foster explained that James' foul was due to "unnecessary over-contact above the shoulders" and that Stuart's technique was a "multiple violation of sportsmanship" after the game took place.

The Lakers fought back with a trail of 17 points to beat Detroit 121-116.

"His eyes kept open," Casey said of Stewart after the game. "There's a reason he's upset. I don't think James is a dirty player, but it keeps [the Lakers] going, not the momentum we have. ”

The Lakers will face the New York Knicks on Wednesday, while the Pistons will take on two of the toughest teams in the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat (Wednesday) and the Milwaukee Bucks (Thursday).

The next meeting between the Lakers and Pistons will be in less than a week, on November 29.