Usually, when conflicts erupt between teams in an NBA game, coaches step in to mediate and calm things down.
But that didn’t exactly happen Sunday night at Target Center in Minneapolis during the Pistons-Timberwolves game.
A fight broke out between players early in the second quarter, resulting in five ejections—including Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni.
“Obviously, things went too far. I think the initial part of it — you go back and watch the film and see where it started — and then, obviously, things escalated from there,” Bickerstaff said after the game. “That instance is one of those things where, when you play the way that we play, you earn a reputation. You’re going to be tested, and guys think that’s what they have to do.
“But you regret, obviously, where all of it took place. That’s not something you ever want to see happen. But again, I thought our guys stood their ground and defended each other and had each other’s back. And those are non-negotiables in our locker room—stand your ground, defend one another, and have each other’s backs. And I thought our guys did that tonight.”
How it started
With 8:38 left in the second quarter, a scuffle broke out between Pistons rookie Ron Holland II and Timberwolves players Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid after Holland fouled Minnesota’s center. Things quickly heated up as Holland and DiVincenzo got into a shoving match, and Pistons bench players Isaiah Stewart and Marcus Sasser joined the fray.
The conflict spread to the sidelines, where Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni had a heated exchange. In the end, Holland, Sasser, Stewart, Reid, DiVincenzo, Bickerstaff, and Prigioni were all ejected.
“There were things said by their assistant coach, and I’m in the same boat as my guys are in,” Bickerstaff said about his involvement. “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. And again, I didn’t think it crossed a line to the escalation of anything.
“But 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 okay.”
Chippy start led to escalation
The game had turned physical shortly after it began, even before the fight broke out – a fact Timberwolves coach Chris Finch had already observed.
“I mean, two guys went at it, and it spilled over into the crowd, which was super dangerous. Then, obviously, it just kept escalating and escalating, mostly from (the Pistons’) side, to be honest with you,” Finch said. “I thought, leading up to that, the game was way too physical. I thought it was a little lopsided in its physicality, and I thought that it was bound to happen. It just felt like it was coming, and you spend enough time in basketball games to kind of feel this coming.
“It’s unfortunate, but yeah, we knew they were a super physical team. They hit you, they hold you—all the stuff that you want your physical teams to do—but I just thought it had gotten to a point where players were going to take matters into their own hands, and you don’t ever want that. And just, there were a lot of antics alongside of it too. But both teams settled down and tried to play basketball after that.”
The Pistons blew a 16-point advantage and fell to the Timberwolves 123-104, even with the altercation happening during the game.
Possible ramifications for the Pistons
It remains unclear whether the NBA will take disciplinary action following Sunday’s incident at Target Center.
Both teams return to action Tuesday, with the Pistons continuing their four-game road trip against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Detroit is already short-handed, as Cade Cunningham has sat out the last four games with left calf soreness (day-to-day), and Tobias Harris has missed two straight with right Achilles tendinopathy.
While the altercation involved physical play, no clear punches were thrown, leaving suspensions uncertain. If the league issues punishments, the Pistons—already dealing with injuries—could lose up to four or five players, including Holland, Sasser, and Stewart. In that scenario, Detroit would likely recall players from their G League team, the Motor City Cruise.
Potential call-ups from the G League
Rookie guard Daniss Jenkins, already with six Pistons appearances this season, could stay with the team for the time being. The two-way player contributed five points in Sunday’s defeat against Minnesota.
Another strong option is rookie Tolu Smith, also on a two-way contract. The 6’11” forward has been impressive for the Cruise this season, putting up averages of 17.9 points (on 65.6% shooting), 13.6 rebounds, and 1 block through 28 games.
