'Basketbrawl': Seven ejected during Pistons-Wolves clash

Seven players and members of coaching staff were ejected after a wild brawl broke out during the Minnesota Timberwolves' 123-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the NBA on Sunday.

A testy duel between the two sides at the Target Center in Minneapolis erupted into chaos early in the second quarter, when Minnesota's Naz Reid took exception to being bumped by Detroit's Ronald Holland II as he drove towards the basket.

Reid jabbed a finger angrily at Holland, as the two players squared up after the incident. It escalated rapidly, with players from both sides being sucked into the melee that spilled into the courtside spectator seats.

The Wolves' Donte DiVincenzo was in the thick of the uproar, and tumbled backwards into the seating, as a scrum of players and team officials grappled around him.

The protracted scrap lasted around a minute, before tempers cooled and the officiating crew began to determine who was at fault.

When it was over, the Timberwolves' Reid and DiVincenzo — who could be seen with what looked like large scratch marks near his neck — were tossed, along with the Pistons' Marcus Sasser, Isaiah Stewart and Holland.

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B.Bickerstaff was also ejected, as was Minnesota's assistant coach Pablo Prigioni.

Minnesota head coach Chris Finch later suggested Detroit's overly physical approach early in the game had triggered the flashpoint.

Asked for his view of the incident, Finch replied: "Two guys went at it, and then spilled over into the crowd, which was super dangerous.

"Then, obviously, it just kept escalating and escalating, mostly from their side, to be honest with you.

"I thought, leading up to that, the game was way too physical. It was a little lopsided in its physicality, and I thought it was bound to happen. It just felt like it was coming.

"We knew they were a super physical team. They hit you, they hold you, but I just thought it got to a point where players were going to take matters into their own hands, and you don't ever want that."

Detroit coach Bickerstaff, meanwhile, accused Prigioni of triggering the incident that saw them both ejected.

"There were things said by their assistant coach," Bickerstaff said. "And I'm in the same boat as my guys are in. We're going to defend each other, and I'm not going to let people say belligerent things about my guys.

"And it's that simple. So, he said what he said. He knows what he said.

"Again, I didn't think it crossed the line to escalation of anything, but, in that moment, I understand, you know, the refs' position."

US media reported, meanwhile, that a young fan sitting at courtside, who had been caught in the chaotic scrum, was later presented with a Minnesota team jersey by Alex Rodriguez, the former Major League Baseball star who is now a part owner of the Timberwolves.

Julius Randle had 26 points and eight rebounds, and Anthony Edwards added 25 points for the Timberwolves.

Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 25 rebounds to help Minnesota win for the third time in four games.

Malik Beasley led Detroit with 27 points. Tim Hardaway Jr had 20, and Dennis Schroder added 11 points and 11 assists.

Brooks also gets booted

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks was also ejected against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, after a brief shoving match with Kevin Durant.

Brooks was whistled for a foul on Durant with 4:48 left in the second quarter and Houston leading 55-38.After the shoving match, Brooks continued to argue and was ejected. The play was reviewed, and two technical fouls were assessed on Brooks, plus one each on Durant and the Suns' Nick Richards. No free throws were awarded.

Brooks scored eight points in 11 minutes. It was his first ejection this season, and the seventh of his eight-year career. Entering Sunday, Brooks led the NBA in fouls this season with 235.

In a previous meeting of the teams this season, Phoenix's Mason Plumlee and Houston's Steven Adams were ejected for a scuffle

Agencies