During the Minnesota Timberwolves' 123-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday evening, there was a fight in the second quarter, which led to multiple ejections.
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Tensions were escalating throughout the game, and things started getting dicey, when guard Donte DiVincenzo was called for an offensive foul after plowing into Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio.
Donte Divencenzo yells "F*CK NO! F*CK NO! F*CK NO!" when Isaiah Stewart blows the open floater. Stew pushes him after a foul on defense and pushes Gobert too. Tech for Isaiah Stewart before the big fight.
Thanks to the Redditor u/kurruchi for posting it:https://t.co/GJIuCYoSc0 pic.twitter.com/WimmAvZHQ2
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) March 31, 2025
Then, as DiVincenzo was helped up by a teammate, Pistons' Isaiah Stewart proceeded to shove him and was assessed a technical foul.
That escalated on that last sequence, and Stewart gets T'd up. Wolves could use that, maybe they'll start taking this one personally. https://t.co/b6iYs9Qi9o
— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) March 30, 2025
On the Timberwolves' next offensive possession, Wolves forward Naz Reid apparently wasn't happy after getting fouled by Ron Holland.
With this in mind, Reid took exception to the foul and then got in Holland's face, as DiVincenzo tried to move to break up the fight.
However, Holland aggressively shoved him in response and a wrestling match ensued, where multiple members of both teams (players/coaches) engaged in a brawl that spilled over into the stands at the Target Center.
Camera operators got an up close and personal view of this fight between the Pistons and Timberwolves, which spilled into the crowd. pic.twitter.com/i3mxNMDld5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 31, 2025
In view of who was ejected, Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser, and Wolves' Naz Reid, Dante DiVincenzo, and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni all got tossed from the game.
7 PLAYERS/COACHES GOT EJECTED 🤯 pic.twitter.com/v6tnLIfUd6
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) March 31, 2025
After the refs conducted their assessment of the entire altercation, the Pistons were given four technical fouls, while the T-Wolves got three.
Which resulted in a free throw for the Timberwolves.
Not to mention, considering Reid was ejected after being fouled, Luka Garza was subbed in and hit two free throws before being subbed out again.
Pistons chose Luka Garza to shoot free throws after Naz Reid got ejected 👀
Garza made both of them and fouled instantly after the inbound to allow Anthony Edwards to come back into the game 😅 pic.twitter.com/YMPLMJFC4o
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) March 31, 2025
Following the fight, Minnesota may have benefited as they turned a 10-point deficit (39-29) into 29-point turnaround, winning by 19 points vs. Detroit (123-104) in the end.
Player of the game was 3x All-Star Rudy Gobert, who contributed 19 points and season-high 25 rebounds.
After the game, Bickerstaff addressed the fight.
"I'm not going to let people say belligerent things about my guys."
J.B. Bickerstaff on what Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni said that led to Bickerstaff and Prigioni's ejections 😳
(via @DetroitPistons) pic.twitter.com/WTEQg7FHtM
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 31, 2025
"We're going to defend each other," Bickerstaff said, while seemingly calling out Prigioni. "I'm not going to let people say belligerent things about my guys, and it's that simple... In that moment, I understand the ref's position. But you just can't say anything to people or about people and expect it to be OK."
