Isaiah Stewart on LeBron James Scuffle: Hit to Face Didn't Feel Like an Accident

Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart told reporters that he didn't feel like Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James accidentally hit him in the face prior to an altercation during L.A.'s 121-116 road win over Detroit last Sunday.

"It's going to be my last time addressing it. I watched the film. Me, personally, like I said, I didn't feel like it was an accident. But this is my last time addressing it," he said. 

He added: "My main focus right now is on my team and my teammates, getting back to playing basketball. I'm not going to let that define who I am. I'm going to let what Detroit drafted me for define who I am and the way I play basketball."

Earlier this week, James told reporters he did not mean to hit Stewart:

"His elbow lifted my arm here, and I basically tried to swing down on his arm. When I swinged down on his arm, he got off balance and the left side of my hand grazed his face. I knew right away I had caught some part of his head, so I went over and apologized to him. Obviously, you guys saw what happened after that. I’m definitely not that type of player. I hate to see that and what escalated after that."

The NBA suspended James for one game and Stewart for two, all without pay. Stewart needed five stitches for the cut he suffered after the James hit.

Both players have already served their suspensions. LeBron's Lakers are hosting the Sacramento Kings on Friday at Staples Center, but L.A. will see Detroit again when it welcomes the Pistons into town Sunday.