Getty Images Wayne Ellington of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Wayne Ellington did not pull any punches after taking a cheap shot from Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo on Sunday night during the Los Angeles Lakers season finale.
Campazzo is notorious for being a pest on the court but went over the line in the second quarter when he pushed a defenseless Ellington from behind while he was trying to grab a rebound. The play was reviewed and Campazzo was assessed a Flagrant 2, which warrants an ejection.
Ellington took to Twitter to call out Campazzo after the game.
“When I see you I’m putting my hands on you,” Ellington wrote, tagging Campazzo.
While warranted, the reaction by Ellington surprised many, including veteran NBA reporter Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“In 20 years covering the NBA, Wayne Ellington is legit one of the nicest guys I’ve ever come across. Somehow, I’m not surprised Campazzo was the one to bring this side out of him,” Krawczynski tweeted.
Ellington was able to stay in the game after the play and churned out his best performance of the season. The 34-year-old scored 18 points on 60% shooting, hitting four of his eight 3-pointers.
Lakers Enter Uncertain Offseason After Disappointing Year
The Lakers picked up an overtime win against the Nuggets in their regular-season finale but now enter a very uncertain offseason. It started immediately after the final buzzer, with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that head coach Frank Vogel would be let go.
“I haven’t been told s— and I’m going to enjoy tonight’s game, celebrate what these young guys did in terms of scratching and clawing and getting back in this game and getting a W, and we’ll deal with tomorrow, tomorrow,” Vogel told reporters after the game.
The Lakers filled out their roster this offseason with a bevy of veterans on one-year deals, so there will have to be a major shakeup to build a more sustainable contender. However, star big man Anthony Davis is confident he and LeBron James can continue to be the centerpieces.
“I think us two can. We’ve shown that we can,” Davis told reporters on Sunday. “I don’t know that’s something we just have to reevaluate in the offseason, upstairs, me and him talking about this season and what we would like to see next season and kind of just figure it out.
“I mean, injuries, but even when we were healthy, I don’t think we were able to reach our full potential — for whatever reason. So I think we want to figure it out and just get back to that championship pedigree that us as players know we’re capable of.”
Malik Monk Defends Frank Vogel After Career Night
While Vogel appears set to be let go, his players were complimentary of his efforts this year, despite LA finishing a very disappointing 33-49 and missing the postseason.
“He gave me a chance,” Lakers guard Malik Monk said. “This was the only team that called me in the offseason. I have nothing bad to say about him. All praise goes to him. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have a chance to play basketball. I probably wouldn’t be here, so kudos to Frank.”
Monk was a bright spot during a difficult year and ended the season with a bang. He scored a career-high 41 points in the win.