The NBA announced on Tuesday that they have suspended five players for their roles in a scuffle during the second quarter of a game between the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. The incident in question occurred in the second quarter of Minnesota’s 123-104 win over Detroit; when the fight occurred, the Wolves trailed the Pistons 39-30, before Minnesota rallied to win 123-104.
Pistons center Isaiah Stewart received a two-game ban, while Pistons forward Ron Holland II and guard Marcus Sasser will miss one game. Timberwolves forward Naz Reid and guard Donte DiVincenzo were also suspended one game apiece. NBA executive vice president for basketball operations Joe Dumars said Stewart received a longer suspension for escalating the on-court altercation,” adding that his suspension is based on Stewart’s “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks detailed the cost for each player: “Here are the suspension amounts: Detroit: Isaiah Stewart: $206,897 * Ron Holland: $46,812 * Marcus Sasser: $15,403. Minnesota: Naz Reid: $80,382 * Donte DiVincenzo: $65,776
During the scuffle, Reid took exception to a foul by Holland, and that sparked a shoving match that spilled into the front row of fans. As a result, Stewart, Holland, Sasser Reid and DiVincenzo were all ejected from the contest, in addition to Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni.
Bickerstaff told reporters after the game: “There was things said by their assistant coach and I’m in the same boat our guys are in. We’re going to defend each other. I’m not going to let people say belligerent things about my guys. It’s that simple. He said what he said, he knows what he said.”
Reid and DiVincenzo missed Tuesday’s game against the Denver Nuggets; while Holland II, Sasser and Stewart will begin their individual suspensions Wednesday.
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