Fansided

Kings players Matt Barnes and DeMarcus Cousins sued over nightclub brawl

By Casey Pazzalia

Oct 27, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes (22) talks with center DeMarcus Cousins (15) at Golden 1 Center. The Spurs won the game 102-94. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 27, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes (22) talks with center DeMarcus Cousins (15) at Golden 1 Center. The Spurs won the game 102-94. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sacramento Kings players Matt Barnes and DeMarcus Cousins are facing legal trouble stemming from a fight in New York.

Early Monday morning, NBA players Matt Barnes and DeMarcus Cousins took part in a nightclub fight. The incident occurred at Avenue Nightclub hours after the Kings lost 106-98 versus the New York Knicks.

Now, Barnes and Cousins are facing a lawsuit regarding their roles in the altercation.

According to court documents, Matt Barnes wasn’t provoked before he started choking the defendant, Jasmine Besiso. After Barnes approached Besiso, her friend Myrone Powell intervened but was punched by Cousins.

Besiso and Powell allegedly suffered “severe personal injuries,” and as a result, paramedics took them to Lenox Hill Hospital.

A USA Today report by A.J Perez indicated that Barnes was indeed the assailant, although it doesn’t mention Cousins. It’s definitely true that Cousins was present at the nightclub, as the the two Kings players were filmed on the street afterward.

Barnes has maintained his innocence, posting on Instagram that there are “two sides to a story” and “not to believe everything you read”.

On TMZ, a rep for Matt Barnes paints a picture of him acting in self-defense. They claim that a woman had initially slapped him in the face, and that’s when the fight started. Members of the woman’s party allegedly got violent with Barnes and Cousins jumped in to defend him.

It should be noted that anyone can file a lawsuit, and by no means is Barnes or Cousins presumed guilty of any crime.

Barnes’ lawyer said he is cooperating with police.

Next: Worst NBA Finals Starters of All-Time

The two Kings players have made fast friends this year. After a game in Philadelphia they made news for their bizarre post-game antics.

Barnes is in his first season with Sacramento, his 10th career team over 14 seasons.

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