NBA will look into Blazers pregame video

The NBA will look into a pre-game video shown Friday night by the Portland Trail Blazers which included footage of Lakers forward Trevor Ariza’s March 9 flagrant foul on Portland’s Rudy Fernandez, a league spokesman confirmed Saturday.

By league rules teams are not permitted to display replays involving flagrant fouls, altercations or hard physical contact from previous games.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson did not attend the team’s game in Portland Friday night due to swelling in his right leg, but raised the issue Saturday afternoon at the team’s El Segundo training facility.

“That’s something that NBA clubs are not supposed to do,” Jackson said. “Showing that video before the game, that incites crowds. Portland took a big risk doing that there, that’s a fineable thing for the league.

“That’s something that they try to prevent in the spirit of good sportsmanship, but Portland has been like that. They created that situation. And I think Trevor was affected by it unfortunately.”

–Ramona Shelburne