“I wish we’d bring back fighting. What’s more entertaining than a little scuffle?” These were Joe Mazzulla’s words back in October. And now that we are reaching the business end of the league, the tensions are at an all-time high. The recent incident between the Wolves and Pistons kicked off and ended with 7 ejections, which includes members of the coaching staff as well. Was it like Malice in the Palace? Well, no, but even today’s scene wasn’t pretty.
The incident took place with 8:36 left in the second quarter after Detroit’s Ron Holland fouled Minnesota’s Naz Reid as he attempted a layup. Straightaway, both of them got chirping towards each other, and Donte DiVincenzo stepped in to help his teammate. Soon, it led to them shoving each other, and the brawl broke out! The consequence was pretty simple: ejections for the players involved in the bust-up!
Detroit lost Center Isaiah Stewart, forward Ron Holland II, and guard Marcus Sasser. Meanwhile, Minnesota forward Naz Reid and guard Donte DiVincenzo also received the same orders. Joining the players were the Pistons’ HC J. B. Bickerstaff, along with Wolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni. Both of them seen arguing and screaming at each other, and that’s why they got the same punishment as the players. As per reports, even the Timberwolves owner, Alex Rodriguez, got involved, but only to console a fan.
Isaiah Stewart, Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, Ron Holland, Marcus Sasser have been ejected Sunday. pic.twitter.com/1xCB90sV3v
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) March 31, 2025
“Alex Rodriguez came over to comfort a kid who was caught in the middle of the fight,” tweeted Jon Krawczynski. The owner was sitting very close to the courtside action, not more than 20 feet away from the fight. So, he reportedly called for assistance for a fan who got caught in the middle of the melee. Since the league is strict with rules, the 7 people involved will have certain sanctions coming their way.
What consequences will Donte DiVincenzo face after his initial involvement?
The 28-year-old, along with teammate Naz Reid and Detroit’s Ron Holland II, was one of the initiators of the conflict. They have more chances of receiving a suspension. However, as of now, there is no guarantee or announcement about the ban involving the players or the coaches. But let’s look at similar instances and brawls and their resulting suspension to understand the situation better.
In December, when the Mavericks and the Suns faced on the court, Naji Marshall and Jusuf Nurkic got into a tussle. The former received a 4-game suspension, while the latter was handed 3-game suspensions. In the same month, we also had Amen Thompson slamming Tyler Herro during their altercation. The league gave the Rockets forward a 2 game suspension. Meanwhile, the Heat guard escaped punishment since he did not raise his hands, fists, or any part of the body.
But in the current case of the Wolves and the Pistons, the players used every known attack in the book. So, the suspension could easily range from 2 games to 5 games. With Minnesota languishing in play in spot as the current eighth seed in the West, they would hope the suspension doesn’t lead to a stumbling block for the postseason run.
The post Timberwolves vs Pistons Fight: Suspensions on the Horizon as Mass Brawl Involving Donte DiVincenzo Leads to 7 Ejections appeared first on EssentiallySports.