BOSTONThe NBA suspended Rajon Rondo on Monday for making illegal contact with a game official.
However, Rondo believes the league's interpretation of him failing to cooperate with their investigation was at the heart of his one-game suspension and not the bumping incident itself.
"I don't think I did anything wrong," Rondo said prior to the Celtics playing the Phoenix Suns, his first game back from the suspension. "The comment I made to referee Rodney Mott . . . if you watch the tape, he even laughed. I think it was more so just what happened with the investigation. It's the rep I earned and I have to deal with it."
In Rondo's return to the floor on Wednesday, he had eight points and eight assists as the Celtics defeated the Suns, 87-79.
As far as his reputation is concerned, it's clear that Rondo has put himself on the radar screen of both officials and the league office.
Monday's one-game suspension was the fourth time he has been suspended within a year, three of which involved an incident between him and a game official.
But of the suspensions, the most recent one appears to be the most bizarre.
The play occurred against Atlanta in the third quarter after Mott called Rondo for an offensive foul against Josh Smith.
Rondo was obviously bothered by the call and approached Mott and while doing so, made contact with him which is a definite no-no according to league rules.
But it didn't seem to be an issue at the time because Mott didn't issue Rondo a technical foul, which is common practice when a player makes contact with a game official.
Only Rondo and Mott know exactly what was said in that brief moment after the call.
"The ref that I bumped, I don't know many refs in the league by name but I know Rodney," Rondo said. "Like I said, I didn't think it was that big a deal. I don't think Mott did either. Things happen."
And making things even more bizarre, Rondo's bumping incident in terms of punishment was equal to Carmelo Anthony stalking out Kevin Garnett outside the Celtics' locker room on Monday and later by the C's team bus.
"Man, I get suspended for a phone hang-up?" Rondo said.
When told that Anthony's punishment was equal to his from the bumping incident, Rondo responded, "Oh my goodness. So that's the same thing, huh?"