Watch: Major Brawl During NBA Game Leads to Ejections for 5 Players and 2 Coaches

Conservative News DailyMarch 31, 2025

During a recent NBA game, a fight erupted in the second quarter between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Detroit Pistons, leading to the ejection of five players and two coaches. The Detroit Pistons’ head coach, J.B.Bickerstaff, along with players Isaiah Stewart, ron Holland II, and Marcus Sasser where dismissed, alongside Minnesota’s Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni. The conflict arose after a series of aggressive plays, leading to tensions that escalated into a physical altercation involving all players on the court and additional staff. Bickerstaff commented on the situation, acknowledging that while things went too far, it demonstrated the players’ commitment to protecting each other. The game was particularly contentious, recording 12 technical fouls, marking it as one of the most physically intense games in recent memory. Ultimately, the Timberwolves won the match decisively, overcoming an early 16-point deficit with a final score of 123-104.

Five players and two coaches were ejected after a fight broke out in the second quarter in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.

Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, center Isaiah Stewart, forward Ron Holland II, and guard Marcus Sasser were ejected, as were Minnesota forward Naz Reid, guard Donte DiVincenzo, and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni.

“Obviously things went too far,” Bickerstaff said. “But what you see is guys looking out for one another, guys trying to protect one another, guys trying to have each other’s backs. … Those are non-negotiables in our locker room.”

The skirmish began with 8:36 left in the half with the Pistons up 39-30. Stewart had received a technical foul just moments earlier when he bumped DiVincenzo hard after the whistle. Then Holland was called for a foul as he slapped the ball out of Reid’s hands near the baseline.

The two exchanged words, DiVincenzo stepped between them and grabbed Holland’s jersey, and soon, all 10 players on the court and multiple coaches and trainers were part of the scrum.

A fight breaks out between the Pistons and Timberwolves

Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser, Pistons HC J. B. Bickerstaff and Wolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni were all ejected pic.twitter.com/TJA3OczOxB

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2025

As the players were being separated, Bickerstaff and Prigioni were screaming at each other and had to be separated by team personnel.

The whole scene played out just 20 feet from new Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez, who walked over from his courtside seat in the aftermath and appeared to call for assistance for a young fan who got caught in the middle of the melee.

The game featured 12 technical fouls, the most in an NBA game since March 23, 2005, per OptaSTATS.

“I thought leading up to that the game was way too physical,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “It’s unfortunate, but we knew they were a super physical team. They hit you. They hold you, all the stuff that you want your physical teams to do. But I just thought it got to a point where players were going to take matters into their own hands. You don’t ever want that.”

The Timberwolves rallied from an early 16-point deficit to beat the Pistons 123-104.

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.