me paid hundreds of dollars to see James in particular. One youngster held up a sign that read: LeBron.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A man took a coconut cream pie from a grocery bag, grabbed Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson from behind and smacked him in the face with it at a charity event, leading the former NBA star to start swinging and then tackle the man who was left battered and facing assault charges.The pie wielder and local activist, Sean Thompson, 32, said Thursday that the mayor overreacted, sending him to the hospital for nine stitches before he went to jail. He said he was angry Johnson devoted so much political energy to an arena for the citys basketball team and not to other needs such as education and homelessness.The mayor was greeting people eating at an outdoor charity dinner Wednesday night at Sacramento Charter High School when Thompson pulled Johnson back and shoved the pie in his face, said Johnsons chief of staff, Crystal Strait.There was no throwing of the pie, said Erika Bjork, who works for a professional soccer team in Sacramento and saw the encounter up close. This was a direct assault. It just happened that he had a pie in his hand.Bjork, whose boss is a major donor to Johnson, said the mayor looked shocked and swung at Thompson multiple times, but she didnt see him land any punches.Thompson had red and blue bruises and a roughly 1-inch line of stitches under his left eye when he spoke to The Associated Press in jail.When I threw the pie at him, right at that moment, I shouted at him. I said, `You need to better represent me, Thompson said.He said the mayor turned and hit him at least twice and pretty hard. Thompson said he covered his face and started to move away but was quickly surrounded by people and kept taking hits. He couldnt tell who delivered the blows.Thompson said he expected to be tackled by police but was caught off guard when the punches came from the mayor. He said he has no regrets but was surprised to be facing a felony, assaulting a public official.He was held on $100,000 bail and was expected to be formally charged Friday.Johnsons signature achievement in office was getting a $550 million arena built for the Sacramento Kings, which Thompson said took attention away from other issues.Cres Vellucci, who organizes legal support for activists at the National Lawyers Guild in Sacramento, said people in the social justice community are concerned about Thompsons safety and Johnsons physical response.Prosecutors will review the case, including the mayors reaction, after receiving the police reports, likely on Friday, district attorney spokeswoman Shelly Orio said.Whether youre hit in the face with a pie or a fist, youve been assaulted and youre generally allowed to respond with similar force, said Rory Little, a former litigator and professor at University of California Hastings College of the Law.Johnsons response probably is not a disproportionate reaction, though it might not be the reaction we want our public officials to have, Little said.Vellucci wrote in an email that he met Thompson five years ago and described him as a nonviolent person who participated in some of the first Black Lives Matter protests in Sacramento in 2014 and in Occupy Sacramento rallies before that.Police and Johnsons chief of staff said Thompson was not previously known to the mayor and his staff. In an interview with local TV stations, Thompson said hes interacted with Johnson many times during city meetings for activists and that the mayor often appears disinterested and unengaged in community members concerns.Johnson is well-known for his efforts to revitalize Oak Park, a predominantly African-American neighborhood.Hes a graduate of the high school where the event was held Wednesday and brought it back from the brink of dissolution in the early 2000s by incorporating it in a system of charter schools he founded to help disadvantaged communities.Johnson, who had a long career as an NBA All-Star with the Phoenix Suns and a brief stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, has about two months left as mayor. He decided not to seek a third term.---Associated Press writer Jonathan J. Cooper contributed to this report.---This story has been corrected to show that the first name of Cres Vellucci was misspelled Chris and that Thompson had injuries around his left eye, not his right. China Jerseys Cheap . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. China Jerseys Wholesale . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. https://www.chinasjerseys.com/ . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. Nike China Jerseys . JOHNS, N. China Jerseys 2020 . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The defending NBA champion?Cavaliers?left an average of almost 71 points per game back in Cleveland.The result was their lowest-scoring output of the season and a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.With stars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love resting in Ohio, the Grizzlies built an early lead, then extended it to 15 in the first half and 25 in the fourth quarter, before coasting to a 93-85 victory over the Cavaliers on Wednesday night.Its the NBA and some guys are going to rest and some guys are not, said Memphis guard Troy Daniels, who led the Grizzlies with 20 points. I think we play to win each and every game, no matter whos playing.Marc Gasol added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Tony Allen finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals, as Memphis won for the seventh time in eight games. The only loss during that stretch was a 103-86 defeat on Tuesday night in Cleveland.With Clevelands top three scorers not on the one-day trip, the Cavaliers managed only nine 3-pointers -- matching their fewest in a game this season.James Jones made three shots from outside the arc and led Cleveland with 15 points. Cavaliers rookie Kay Felder scored a season-high 14 in 23 minutes.I know Coach [Tyronn] Lue said plenty of times -- and we have said the same -- at the end of the day, we are here to win, Jones said. And we are going to do everything we need to put ourselves in a position to be as good as we can be when it really matters in the postseason.The Grizzlies took advantage of the missing Cavaliers and carried a 47-36 advantage into the break.The Cavaliers opened the second half with nine straight points, but the Grizzlies continued to connect from beyond the arc. By the end of the third quarter, Memphis was 11-of-17 from long distance and had a 74-53 lead.TIP-INSCavaliers: Clevelands 16 points were the teams fewest in a first quarter this season. ... Mike Dunleavy made his second start of the season and Channing Frye his first. ... Jones, who entered 11-of-14 from 3-point range, hit his first two 3ss before finishing 3 of 5.dddddddddddd ... J.R. Smith had eight points without a 3-pointer, leaving him two 3s short of passing Craig Ehlo for eighth place in franchise history.Grizzlies: Gasol had his 12th game with multiple 3s. ... Memphis made 12 3-pointers, reaching double figures in the category for the ninth time this season. ... Memphis is 7-0 on the second night of a back-to-back.NOT REALLY THAT CLOSEThe final score made the game appear closer than it was because Cleveland scored the final eight points. That was the only time the Cavaliers were within single digits since about three minutes left in the third quarter.NO REST FOR THOMPSONWhile the Big Three sat out for the Cavaliers, center Tristan Thompson played in his 394th consecutive game -- the longest current streak in the NBA. I know the streak is important, Lue said before the game. Its a great streak to be a part of when youre durable and ready to play every single night.FOCUS ON LeBRONSome fans in Memphis were disappointed that the Cavaliers left James, Irving and Love at home -- especially because it was Clevelands only trip to Memphis this season. Some paid hundreds of dollars to see James in particular. One youngster held up a sign that read: LeBron. Thanks for ruining my Christmas!Lue understood.You know, guys sit their guys every night, the Cleveland coach said. But when the Cavaliers do it or LeBron does it, its something different. I understand too, because these people were waiting to see LeBron play.ALWAYS READYLue said he never had to worry about a night off for rest in his career. I didnt play a lot anyway, he said, so I wanted to get out there. I didnt care if I had no legs or not.UP NEXTCavaliers: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.Grizzlies: Continue an eight-game stretch that includes seven at home when they face the?Sacramento Kings?on Friday night. It will mark the Memphis return of former Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger. ' ' '