The NBA has announced suspensions (via Twitter) for three players involved in an altercation during Friday night’s game between the Magic and Timberwolves.
Orlando center Mohamed Bamba was suspended for four games and Minnesota guard Austin Rivers received three games for their roles in the fight. Magic guard Jalen Suggs received a one-game suspension for escalating the incident, and Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels was fined $20K for running into the fray and pushing Bamba in the back.
All four players were given technical fouls and were ejected from the game. Minnesota’s Taurean Prince was also ejected, but he wasn’t disciplined by the league.
Bamba appeared to start the fight with a comment to Rivers after his missed three-pointer late in the third quarter. Rivers took exception and challenged Bamba on Orlando’s bench. Both players threw punches, although it looked like none of them connected. Suggs tackled Rivers, and McDaniels and Prince also got involved.
The NBA’s press release states that Bamba tried to “continue to engage with Rivers in a hostile manner in the corridor outside the locker rooms where he also aggressively shoved a security representative,” which explains why he got the longest suspension.
BS. Prince and McDaniel should have been suspended 1 game each. I agree with the Suggs and Rivers suspension, Bamba’s seems excessive (1 game for being on the court as a bench player, 3 for fighting?).
No chance Prince and McDaniels deserved the same punishment as Suggs.
It says Bamba shoved a security guard. If anything he’s lucky to get a game and not a petty guard filing assault changes.
Mo Bamba is more famous for having a horrible rap song named after him than he is for playing basketball
Still more famous than you either way I imagine.
Only famous for a rap song to people who don’t know basketball
Only one game for Dillon Brooks though
You are not allowed to come off the bench and fight, only if you are in the game. More severe punishment
Rivers was in the bench area. It spilled out on the court.
What I’m curious about is what would have happened had Bamba kept it in the bench area.
I wonder what the tipping point will be before the league makes an example out of someone with a stiff suspension…
A lot of fighting in the UFBA recently. Maybe the fracking chemicals in the drinking water finally get to people.
I believe that the league should handle these brawls similar to the NHL and let the players duke it out without any outside interference. Would be interesting to observe whether a smaller guy like Rivers could cut down a tree like Bamba or watching Dillon Brooks walk away, triumphantly swinging Donovan Mitchell’s jimmies over his head.
These fines and suspensions only make the league look soft while depriving fans of the real excitement.
Wrong. These stooges need to be treated like stooges.
Suspend them…by their waistband on a coat hook so they dangle and flail in the air a la the hilarious depression Era trio. As they flail about Adam Silver will film them for tok tok.
That’s entertainment, baby.
The issue is it rarely stays 1 on 1 which has always been my issue with basketball, baseball, football. Guys will pick fights and instead of it being the two that had an issue.
Silver surprises to the upside. I was beginning to wonder if anything a player did on or near the court would ever result in more than a Flagrant 2 /1-2 game suspension.
Suspend silver
No one can say that this ORL team hasn’t got spirit or heart, they are raking fights & suspensions at the highest rate in the league, great character building for them kids!
Tell you what ?
I rather have Mamba than Mitch …..
Thibs could get a lot more out of Mo.