A chaotic brawl erupted during a heated game between the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night, leading to seven ejections, including two coaches. The fight broke out in the second quarter at the Target Center in Minneapolis as tensions between players reached a boiling point.
What started as a minor confrontation quickly escalated, spilling into the stands and causing concern for a young fan caught in the crossfire. The NBA is expected to review the incident, and suspensions and fines are likely to follow.
How did the brawl start?
The altercation began with 8:36 left in the second quarter when Pistons rookie Ron Holland fouled Timberwolves forward Naz Reid. After the whistle, Holland waved his finger in Reid's face, which sparked a retaliation. This led to a pushing match between Holland and Reid, followed by coaches rushing onto the court, violating NBA rules. As the fight intensified, players and coaches from both teams were ejected, and the chaos even spread to the front-row seats, alarming the crowd. The NBA will likely impose penalties in the aftermath of the incident.
At the end of the violent episode, five players and two coaches were ejected. Detroit lost coach J.B. Bickerstaff, center Isaiah Stewart, forward Ron Holland II and guard Marcus Sasser. Minnesota forward Naz Reid and guard Donte DiVincenzo were also ejected, along with assistant coach Pablo Prigioni
According to OptaSTATS, this game broke the record for the most technical fouls in a game, with 12, something that had not happened in the NBA since March 23, 2005.
