Even though Orlando Magic guard Ron Mercer didn't play Saturday because of a sprained left ankle, he certainly saw plenty action at Orlando's arena. Mercer got into a fistfight with Denver Nuggets forward -- and former teammate -- George McCloud after the game. Magic team trainer Tim Walsh treated Mercer for minor injuries to his head, shoulder and already injured ankle.
"The bottom line is that Ron went over there to say hello to couple of friends and one of them wanted to fight him," Magic Coach Doc Rivers said. "He hit his head and I hope he's OK. It was just boys being boys, but it's something I don't like. Denver seems to be OK with it."
ow
People who witnessed the brouhaha said that Mercer was walking through the arena and toward the Nuggets team bus when McCloud went after him. A scuffle ensued between them, and that's when Mercer banged his head against a steel support beam.
The incident just didn't come out of nowhere, particularly because Mercer and McCloud had a tense relationship when Mercer played for the Nuggets. In fact, Mercer was complaining about McCloud just before Saturday's game.
Coincidentally, McCloud brushed off those comments just before the altercation.
"I don't give a damn about what Ron said,'' McCloud said, "Tell him he should have confronted me [Saturday].''
While Mercer didn't confront him earlier Saturday, he did vent about not being able to play because of his ankle injury. Mercer also said he was mad because he couldn't get revenge on Denver players for trash-talking about him since he was traded to the Magic on Feb. 1.
Mercer specifically was peeved at McCloud for criticizing him. McCloud, a Daytona Beach native, said Mercer never wanted to play in Denver in the first place and that he was a ball hog who took too many shots.
"To hear them say that I was selfish or that I never wanted to be there isn't professional," said Mercer, who doesn't expect to return from his injury for today's game against New Jersey. "And if you're going to say something, don't say it after I'm gone. I sacrificed a lot for that team and to hear them say that is just two-faced."
While Mercer watched the game from the sidelines, McCloud had one of his best games of the year. He scored a season-high 25 points off the bench and cut the Magic's lead to three with 1:09 left.
With Mercer out, Magic center John Amaechi scored a career-high 31 points, including 16 in the third quarter. After the game, he gave interviews about his stellar performance while Mercer and McCloud went at it in the hallway.
at Amechi scoring a career high while 2 sweating mens were wrestling in front of him.