According to Bleacher Report, four players were ejected during the fourth quarter of the game between the Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night in Miami.
Miami star forward Jimmy Butler and center Thomas Bryant were reportedly thrown, along with Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado and small forward Naji Marshall. bleacher report.
With about 11 minutes left in the game, Heat forward Kevin Love pushes Pelicans forward Zion Williamson to the floor, sparking a scuffle, and video shows Naji Marshall allegedly choking Jimmy Butler. Ta. (Related: Former NBA superstar Dwight Howard, basketball brawl erupts on court, 11 others ejected)
Anger erupts in New Orleans as the Heat and Pelicans battle it out.
Jimmy Butler and Naji Marshall played in midfield after Kevin Love fouled Zion Williamson.
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) February 24, 2024
According to Bleacher Report, after Love brought down Williamson for a foul, Marshall and other team members entered the fray.
After officials, teammates and coaches separated Butler and Marshall, Alvarado and Bryant violently confronted each other and a new brawl broke out, according to Bleacher Report.
All four players, Butler, Bryant, Marshall and Alvarado, were subsequently ejected from the game, according to the newspaper.
When the game started, the Heat led by four points. They won 106-95. According to Bleacher Report, Butler led the way with 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in just 27 minutes.
Butler reportedly flexed his muscles at the crowd as he was leaving. USA Today.
To begin the game, Butler accused Williamson of messing up after Love's foul, claiming the former No. 1 pick “knew he shouldn't have done that,” USA Today reported.
“Then (Marshall) came along and dabbled in K-Love and that's how it all escalated,” Butler said.
“You never want to see that,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “The reaction after it was all over was appropriate. Discipline, fitness, strength, but not too much.”
According to USA Today, the intensity of the game led to some fistfights, but both teams seemed to appreciate the way their players responded.
“It's the people who are competing. It's the people who are riding for their teammates,” Williamson said.
