This weekend got pretty handsy, at least for today’s NBA. For the first time in years, the NBA saw punches thrown in a fight. On Friday, Dec. 27, the Dallas Mavericks were in a tightly contested game with the Phoenix Suns, and then in the third quarter chaos broke loose.
Suns center Jusuf Nurkic was called for an offensive foul while being guarded by the Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford with 9:02 left in the third quarter before the altercation quickly escalated. Nurkic confronted Marshall before swinging on hm with an open hand, and without hesitation, Marshall hit him right back with a punch to the jaw. The Mavericks’ PJ Washington quickly shoved Nurkic to the ground before coaches and referees separated the team. All three were ejected from the game. The Mavericks went on to win 98-89.
Fight weekend started with Suns vs. Mavs …
Nurkic said he ain’t no hoe😂😂 https://t.co/HB2IgwQdlf pic.twitter.com/5jrc1WcG1D
— ♕𝕕𝕒𝕧𝕠𓅓 (@shpillo_) December 28, 2024
The fight also birthed a new meme from Kyrie Irving’s reaction to the tussle that the internet will love for years. All three players that were involved have been punished by the NBA. The league said on Saturday, Dec. 28, that Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, Mavericks big Naji Marshall, and Mavs forward P.J. Washington would each receive three-, four-, and one-game suspensions. Irving has already announced that he will pay suspension fees for his teammates.
… and continued with Rockets-Heat
The NBA wasn’t done with fight night though, or better yet said, fight weekend. On Dec. 29, another fight broke loose, albeit this one with no punches thrown. During the Houston Rockets-Miami Heat matchup, Heat star Tyler Herro and Rockets youngster Amen Thompson also got in each other faces, and it ended up with Thompson tossing Herro like a sack of potatoes. Afterwards teammates and coaches on both sides jumped in before it could escalate any further.
Amen Thompson and Tyler Herro fight 👀 pic.twitter.com/VGp1KBXzJH
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 30, 2024
Four players — Herro, Thompson, Terry Rozier, and Jalen Green — Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and assistant coach Ben Sullivan, were ejected after the referees reviewed the footage and made their decision. All this action comes after the NBA was decimated by the NFL in the head-to-head ratings battle on Christmas Day. Irving said during the postgame interview he honestly liked seeing the fighting and thought fans probably did too.
“Throw that s–t under the rug. Excuse my language,” Irving said to reporters. “Maybe that’s just the way we end 2024 where somebody actually swings in the NBA. Maybe that will help our ratings.”
And he isn’t wrong, fighting boosts any sport and the NBA would be no different. The real question at hand is what the NBA will do about the Thompson and Herro fight. There weren’t any punches thrown, but there was a clear altercation that almost led to a team brawl. Let’s see what commissioner Adam Silver does next.
