Report: Trevor Ariza, Gerald Green Suspended 2 Games for Actions vs. Clippers

The NBA has suspended Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza and guard Gerald Green two games apiece after they entered the Los Angeles Clippers' locker room following Monday's 113-102 defeat to Los Angeles at Staples Center.

The league opted against punishing James Harden and Chris Paul, who were both present at the scene as well, while Clippers forward Blake Griffin also escaped any repercussions.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News shared a statement from the league about the decision:

ESPN's Bobby Marks noted the salary cap implications of Ariza and Green's suspensions:

"

Trevor Ariza will lose $41,926 per game for a total of $83,852. Gerald Green will lose $7,804 per game for a total of $15,609. The Rockets will get a credit of $49,730 against the luxury tax. Houston is now $2.56M below the tax.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 17, 2018"

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that Ariza had been labeled as the "most aggressive and determined" to gain entry into the Clippers' locker room. That accounted matched up with what USA Today's Sam Amick had reported:

"Veteran Trevor Ariza led the charge, with Paul, James Harden and Gerald Green following as the Rockets made their way through the Clippers training room and into the locker room through a back hallway that isn’t accessible to the media. According to a person with knowledge of the league's investigation, Paul and Harden have been portrayed by several witnesses as peacemakers once the situation reached that point."

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported Austin Rivers and Ariza resolved their differences after the incident, but Paul and Rivers did not.

Tempers had flared during the game, which was Paul's first back in Los Angeles since the Clippers traded him to the Rockets in the offseason.

Wojnarowski reported some Rockets players had taken exception to trash talk from the bench by Clippers guard Austin Rivers, who was sitting out with an ankle injury. Griffin inflamed emotions as well when he got into it with Houston head coach Mike D'Antoni, which led D'Antoni to say "f--k you" to Griffin from the sideline.

Following the game, Rockets players got into the Clippers' locker room using a back hallway, which sparked a shouting match between members of both teams. Arena security and Clippers team personnel ushered the Rockets out of the locker room before things could escalate.