Rajon Rondo calls Chris Paul "a horrible teammate", denies intentionally spitting

The fallout from "#Spitgate" continued on Tuesday. Rajon Rondo claimed that he had been hanging longer than Chris Paul because of the false impression that the Rockets star was a "good guy". Rondo claimed that Paul's horrible teammate, "he firmly denied having spat in the Houston player's face, at least intentionally.

"Of course, the NBA joined his team because I had three games and he had two," Rondo, 32, told ESPN. "Everyone wants to believe that Chris Paul is a good guy. They do not know he's a horrible teammate. They do not know how he treats people. "

The longest suspension, four games, was in fact awarded to Brandon Ingram, his teammate at the Rondo Lakers, for instigating and intensifying the violent scene Saturday during the visit of Houston to Los Angeles. At the end of the fourth quarter, Ingram pushed James Harden off the Rockets, which led Rondo and Paul to chew and then punch before they were quickly separated.

After the match, Paul accused Rondo of spitting in his face and the NBA apparently agreed. In announcing the suspensions on Sunday, the league cited Rondo for "causing a physical altercation with, and spitting and throwing several punches at Paul".

As Rondo explained to ESPN: "I had a mouthpiece in my mouth and I was exasperated because I was about to tell him [expletive] "It is possible that rather than" maddened "Rondo meant" expectorate ", but his goal was that if the spit of his mouth were on Paul's face, it was not intentional.

"You are playing me with these tricks or mind games, altering the evidence," said the 13th-grade leader. "It's impossible for me to spit you willingly with my body language as it was.

"First, if I spit on you, in the end, there will be no finger pointing. If you feel like I'm spitting on you, then all the bets are open. Second, look at my body language. If I spit on you on purpose, I'll be ready for a man to swing me. You are not going to have your hands on your hip and your head looking at someone if I spit on it.

On Sunday, following the announcement of the suspensions, Paul and Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni continued to reprimand Rondo for what they saw as his role in the fight. "It's difficult," said Paul, 33, about his ban on playing two games. "Someone spat on you, you know. Play as long and it never happened, but that's what it is.

Calling Rondo's actions "pretty disgusting," D'Antoni said of Paul, "what is he supposed to do? Just stay there and spit on it, then punch in the face and say, "Well, how are you doing?" In the heat of the moment, when someone does it, it 's hard, it' s really hard. "

Rockets' general manager Daryl Morey appeared to attack Tuesday's description of Rondo describing Paul as "a horrible teammate."

Other NBA figures, however, remained in place for Rondo. Former player Glen Davis reportedly m said, "I played with them two. CP3 [Paul] is a very bad teammate. "

Ryan Hollins, another former player who has been teammate to every guard at different points in his long career, released Tuesday a photo of himself and Rondo, while they were with the Celtics, adding the message, "One of my favorite teammates, NEVER." From Paul, Hollins told HoopsHype Alex Kennedy"He has more and more to do. All that glitters is not gold.

"I was going to let it rest. I was not going to say much, "Rondo told ESPN. "But now, I have children and I'm teaching my kids to defend themselves and not let the world tell their story."

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