5 Players, 2 Coaches Ejected in Pistons-Timberwolves Fight/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A second-quarter brawl between the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves led to seven ejections—five players and two coaches. The incident, which happened near Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez’s courtside seat, marked the NBA’s most technical fouls in a game in nearly two decades.
NBA Brawl Erupts During Pistons vs. Timberwolves – Quick Look
- 7 Total Ejections: 5 players and 2 coaches were thrown out.
- Fight Trigger: A hard foul and escalating tensions in the second quarter.
- Game Impact: The Timberwolves overcame a 16-point deficit to win 123-104.
- Alex Rodriguez Present: The Timberwolves co-owner witnessed the fight courtside.
- 12 Technical Fouls: Highest in a game since 2005.
Five Players, Two Coaches Ejected After Pistons-Timberwolves Brawl in Second Quarter
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A heated altercation in the second quarter of Sunday night’s game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Detroit Pistons spiraled into a bench-clearing brawl, resulting in the ejection of five players and two coaches.
The chaos unfolded with 8:36 left in the half, as Detroit held a 39-30 lead. Emotions had already been running high when Pistons center Isaiah Stewart was hit with a technical foul for aggressively bumping Minnesota guard Donte DiVincenzo following a whistle.
Moments later, Ron Holland II was whistled for a foul after swiping the ball from Naz Reid, sparking a heated exchange of words. DiVincenzo intervened and grabbed Holland’s jersey—escalating the situation further.
Ejected Players and Coaches:
- Pistons:
- Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff
- Isaiah Stewart
- Ron Holland II
- Marcus Sasser
- Timberwolves:
- Naz Reid
- Donte DiVincenzo
- Assistant Coach Pablo Prigioni
What began as a tense standoff quickly escalated into a full-on scrum involving all 10 players on the court and multiple team staffers. Referees and coaches raced in to separate the brawling teams as the melee spilled close to the sidelines.
Caught in the Chaos: Alex Rodriguez and a Young Fan
The incident happened just feet away from Timberwolves co-owner Alex Rodriguez, who was seated courtside. Witnesses say Rodriguez approached security and appeared to call for medical help for a young fan caught in the aftermath of the skirmish.
Postgame Reactions: Frustration and Justification
J.B. Bickerstaff, the Pistons coach, defended his team’s actions:
“Obviously things went too far. But what you see is guys looking out for one another, trying to protect each other. That’s non-negotiable in our locker room.”
Meanwhile, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch pointed to the Pistons’ physical style as the root of the eruption:
“The game was way too physical. They’re a physical team. They hit you, they hold you… But it got to a point where players felt they had to act. And that’s never good.”
Stats from the Chaos:
- 12 Technical Fouls were issued during the game, the most in an NBA matchup since March 23, 2005, according to OptaSTATS.
- The Timberwolves, despite losing two players and a coach, rallied from a 16-point deficit to win 123-104.
What’s Next?
The NBA is expected to review video footage and potentially hand out fines or suspensions following the incident. With the playoff picture taking shape, both teams could feel the ripple effects of this high-profile altercation in the games ahead.
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