Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has been suspended without pay for one game after leaving Detroit Pistons centre Isaiah Stewart bleeding in a clash which sparked a furious on-court altercation.

He will sit out the Lakers’ encounter with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday as a result.

Stewart has been banned for two games without pay for his part in the incident, in which he repeatedly charged at James during the Pistons’ 121-116 defeat at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday.

LeBron James in action
LeBron James, left, in action (Carlos Osorio/AP)

An NBA statement read: “Detroit Pistons centre Isaiah Stewart has been suspended two games without pay for escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James in an unsportsmanlike manner, and James has been suspended one game without pay for recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

“Stewart was assessed two technical fouls, James was assessed a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2, and both players were ejected.”