Orlando Magic massive man Mo Bamba and guard Jalen Suggs have been penalized late Saturday by the NBA for his or her roles within the altercation with the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night at Target Center.
Bamba was suspended 4 video games with out pay whereas Suggs was suspended one recreation, the league introduced.
With 1:32 remaining within the third quarter of the Magic’s 127-120 win over the Timberwolves, Bamba — who wasn’t within the recreation and was on the Magic’s bench — and Timberwolves guard and former Winter Park High star Austin Rivers engaged in an altercation in entrance of Orlando’s bench, with each gamers throwing punches.
Just a few moments earlier than the struggle, Rivers missed a 3-pointer in entrance of the Magic’s bench. Bamba and guard Markelle Fultz have been seen reacting to the miss.
Bamba appeared to say one thing to Rivers after the miss and caught his tongue out at him. Just a few performs later, Rivers confronted Bamba on the Magic’s bench, which began the altercation.
“I just heard language behind the bench, or on their bench, but it was just about one dude,” Rivers mentioned. “He had mentioned one thing the play earlier than as effectively. I’m not likely gonna get into what he mentioned, I’m not gonna snitch on the dude or no matter, however I simply didn’t like the best way he was speaking to me.
“For no reason, too, I don’t even know that dude, I don’t know anything about him. Obviously, I just know he’s a player for the Magic. And he proceeded to talk, so that next possession, when I went down there, I just said, pretty much, ‘Just keep it respectful, bro.’”
The struggle carried onto the court docket, with a number of gamers and Magic coaches getting concerned to interrupt up the altercation.
Bamba, Suggs, Rivers, Taurean Prince and Jaden McDaniels have been ejected on account of the scuffle.
Bamba declined to talk about the on-court altercation when requested by the Orlando Sentinel Friday, saying, “I have nothing to say.”
“It was just … people talking trash when somebody shoots on the side,” mentioned Fultz, who was sitting subsequent to Bamba on the bench earlier than the struggle began. “We were just having fun, talking [trash]. Same stuff they do on their side. I don’t know if it was something that [Rivers] has been dealing with or something, but he got extremely mad and that’s what he chose to do to retaliate. I don’t think Mo did anything crazy or said anything crazy. It [was] normal trash talk on the bench, having fun and that’s what it turned into.”
Suggs was suspended for “escalating the altercation by aggressively grabbing Rivers around the neck and pulling him to the floor,” in line with the league.
Rivers was suspended three video games for his position within the altercation.
Timberwolves ahead Jaden McDaniels was fined $20,000 for his position within the altercation, together with “running into the scrum and pushing Bamba in the back.” Prince didn’t obtain any further punishment.
Per the league: “Following the incident, Bamba attempted 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.”
This doubtless performed an element in why Bamba acquired the harshest penalty.
Rivers alluded to the opportunity of one other altercation happening by the locker rooms.
“He tried to … I don’t know, man,” Rivers mentioned. “He tried to run up on me or whatever. Ain’t nobody worried about him, man.”
Both Bamba and Rivers continued the escalation on social media following the sport.
Bamba will start serving his four-game suspension and Suggs will serve his one-game suspension Sunday in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets to shut out the Magic’s four-game highway journey.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com
