Wild fighting in the NBA: seven expelled in a tangana that ended in the stands

Five players and two coaches, including Argentine assistant Pablo Prigioni, were expelled by a massive trifulca during Sunday’s game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Detroit Pistons in the NBA.

The incident was triggered at the beginning of the second quarter, when the rookie of the Pistons Ron Holland hit Naz Reid to prevent the Minnesota pivot from scoring an entrance to the basket.

Reid immediately faced Holland, while his partner Donte Divinzzo interposed between them.

The situation climbed when Holland and Divinzzo exchanged shoves and, with the arrival of companions and members of the coaching staff, a tangan monumental was formed that extended to the front row of spectators.

DivinCenzo ended up falling back on several surprised fans in the Target Center of Minneapolis.

The brawl spread for about a minute. After calming their spirits, the referees reviewed the images and expelled five players: Holland, Isaiah Stewart and Marcus Sasser, the Pistons, and Divinzzo and Reid, of the Timberwolves.

JB BickerStaff, Detroit chief coach, and former Argentine player Pablo Prigioni, current Minnesota assistant technician, were also expelled.

Former Pablo Prigioni, expelled

«I saw nothing Paul did to deserve the expulsion,” Chris Finch, Minnesota chief coach. “He was trying to maintain a conversation with the referee about one of his players, who is prone to these situations.”

“His bench, especially JB, had a problem with that and exchanged words,” he explained.

“His assistant coach said some things,” said BickerStaff in his turn. «I am on the same ship as my boys. We are going to defend each other and I will not allow people to say belligerent things about my boys ».

“He knows what he said,” he said. “You can’t say anything to people or about people and expect it to be fine.”