Late in the second quarter of the Hornets’ win over the Bobcats on Friday, Anthony Davis and Byron Mullens got tangled up. There was some pushing and shoving to go along with the requisite showing of bravado, before the referees stepped in and the two had to be separated.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist then came over to intervene, in what you’d hope was an attempt to calm rather than inflame the situation. But the official was already there, so MKG ended up running him over, which sent the ref tumbling to the ground.
There’s no guarantee Kidd-Gilchrist will be suspended for the contact; the rule book only specifies an automatic one-game suspension for making “intentional” contact with an official, and in this case, that’s going to be subjective.
If the league determines that the contact came as a result of Kidd-Gilchrist ignoring the fact that the referee was handling things to needlessly interject himself, then the suspension may come down anyway just to send a message.
Rookies, man.