The NBA, always noted for its sporting and entertainment level in each of its games, is experiencing an unprecedented escalation of violence at this time.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, just a day after the match between Dillon Brooks and Donovan Mitchell in the Cleveland Cavaliers-Memphis Grizzlies, another monumental fight caused a human mountain and five ejections in the duel between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic.
The hostile atmosphere at the Target Center in Minneapolis erupted in the third quarter following a close sideline clash between
Austin Rivers
and
Mo Bamba
.
Rivers, shooting guard for the Timberwolves and son of coach Doc Rivers (Sixers), confronted Bamba, who was sitting on the Magic's substitute bench, after an exchange of words.
The center, 2.13 meters tall, immediately got up from his seat in front of Rivers (1.93m) and both of them exchanged fist bumps on the track, while teammates from both teams and security members came running Together with the referees they tried to separate them.
In addition to Bamba and Rivers, the referees ejected point guard
Jalen Suggs
, for the Magic, and forward
Taurean Prince
and power forward
Jaden McDaniels
for the Timberwolves.
Photo: AP / Abbie Parr.
In the press room, Rivers accused Bamba of making
disrespectful comments
at him after missing a 3-pointer from clear position.
"I'm not going to reveal what he said but I didn't like the way he spoke to me. There was no reason, I don't know him personally
," said the substitute guard.
"In the next play I asked him to be respectful. I don't want to be the tough guy but I'm not going to let anyone disrespect me either,"
he completed.
"I felt bad for being sent off and I felt that I let my team down. Two other important players were also sent off in the process and that makes me feel very bad,"
Rivers said with a serious expression.
The Magic, who at the time of the fight led 83-73 with one minute and 32 seconds left in the third quarter, ended up beating Minnesota 127-120 with 20 points from backup point guard Cole Anthony.
The incident occurred just one day after the fight between
Dillon Brooks
(Grizzlies) and
Donovan Mitchell
(Cavaliers) for which they were also ejected.
This Friday, the NBA sanctioned Brooks with one game for provoking the confrontation
with a blow to
Mitchell's testicles, who was fined $20,000 for his furious reaction.
Photo: Jason Miller / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
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