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MINNEAPOLIS (AP)— A brawl erupted during the second quarter of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, leading to the ejection of five players and two coaches.
The Pistons lost head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and players Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland II, and Marcus Sasser from their roster. From the Timberwolves, forward Naz Reid and guard Dante DiVincenzo were also expelled, along with assistant coach Pablo Prigioni.
“Clearly, things escalated too quickly,” Bickerstaff commented. “What we witnessed was players looking out for one another, standing up for each other, and having each other’s backs. Those principles are essential in our locker room.”
The altercation began with 8:36 remaining in the half, with the Pistons leading 39-30. This followed a technical foul issued to Stewart moments before, after he aggressively bumped into DiVincenzo. Following that, Holland was penalized for a foul for swatting the ball out of Reid’s hands near the baseline.
Tensions flared as the two exchanged heated words, prompting DiVincenzo to intervene by grabbing Holland’s jersey. This quickly escalated, drawing all ten players on the floor, as well as various coaches and trainers, into the fray.
While attempts were made to break up the conflict, Bickerstaff and Prigioni were seen yelling at one another and had to be physically restrained by team staff.
The incident unfolded just a short distance from new Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez, who, after the commotion, approached the scene to seek help for a fan who had inadvertently become involved in the chaos.
Throughout the game, a total of 12 technical fouls were issued, marking the highest number in an NBA game since March 23, 2005, according to OptaSTATS.
“I felt that the physicality leading up to this moment was excessive,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch remarked. “It’s regrettable, but we were aware of the Pistons’ aggressive style. They play hard, they engage physically, which is what you’d expect from a tough team. However, I sensed that the situation had reached a boiling point, compelling players to take matters into their own hands—something we definitely want to avoid.”
