A physical game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Detroit Pistons boiled over Sunday night, resulting in the ejection of five players and two coaches after a second-quarter brawl, The Associated Press reports.
Despite the on-court chaos, the Timberwolves rallied from an early 16-point deficit to secure a 123-104 victory.
The ejections included Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, center Isaiah Stewart, forward Ron Holland II, and guard Marcus Sasser. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid and guard Donte DiVincenzo were also tossed, along with assistant coach Pablo Prigioni.
The skirmish ignited with 8:36 remaining in the second quarter, with the Pistons leading 39-30. Tensions had been building after Isaiah Stewart received a technical foul for a hard bump on Donte DiVincenzo. The situation escalated when Ron Holland II was called for a foul for slapping the ball out of Naz Reid’s hands near the baseline.
Following the foul, words were exchanged between Holland and Reid. DiVincenzo intervened, grabbing Holland’s jersey, which triggered a melee involving all ten players on the court, as well as coaches and trainers from both teams. As officials attempted to separate the players, Bickerstaff and Prigioni were seen screaming at each other and required intervention from team personnel.
Adding to the spectacle, the entire scene unfolded just 20 feet from new Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez reportedly left his courtside seat after the brawl and appeared to call for assistance for a young fan who was caught in the middle of the incident.
The game saw a total of 12 technical fouls assessed, marking the most in an NBA game since March 23, 2005, according to OptaSTATS. Despite the disruptions, the Timberwolves managed to overcome the Pistons’ early lead and secure the win.
