Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schröder has been handed a three-game suspension after a heated altercation following his team’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on December 28. The NBA revealed the suspension on Saturday night, detailing that Schröder confronted and attempted to strike Lakers guard Luka Dončić in a hallway of the Crypto.com Arena.
The incident transpired approximately 40 minutes after the Kings suffered a 125-101 defeat. According to the league’s announcement, Schröder sought out Dončić to initiate the confrontation, a tension that had reportedly been brewing throughout the match, with various clips capturing their exchanges during the game. In this outing, Dončić excelled with 34 points, seven assists, and five rebounds, while Schröder contributed with 11 points and seven assists.
Schröder’s suspension will commence on Sunday as the Kings are set to host the Houston Rockets, and it will also cover Sacramento’s home matchup against the Lakers on Monday. This is not Schröder’s first brush with discipline; he has faced suspensions for previous altercations, including a one-game ban in 2013 for an incident involving former Kings center DeMarcus Cousins and another in 2018 while with the Oklahoma City Thunder for leaving the bench to join an altercation in the stands.
The suspension serves as a reminder of sportsmanship and the importance of maintaining composure, even in the heat of competition. While this incident adds to Schröder’s history of disciplinary issues, it also underscores the intense rivalries and emotions that can surface in high-stakes games.