The NBA suspended five players, including Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, after a scuffle broke out during Friday night’s game between the Heat and New Orleans Pelicans, the league announced Sunday.
Butler, his Heat teammate Nikola Jović and the Pelicans’ Naji Marshall were all given a one-game suspension for the incident at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Butler and Marshall were penalized for instigating the fight — Butler pushed Marshall, who retaliated by putting his hand on Butler’s neck — while Jović was flagged for leaving the bench during the incident.
Miami’s Thomas Bryant and New Orleans’ Jose Alvarado were each handed a three-game suspension for their involvement in the altercation.
Butler, Marshall, Bryant and Alvarado were all ejected from the game after the incident.
NBA suspends Jimmy Butler, others after Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans scuffle Friday
Cydney Henderson
Victoria Hernandez
USA TODAY
The NBA suspended five players, including Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, after a scuffle broke out during Friday night’s game between the Heat and New Orleans Pelicans, the league announced Sunday.
Butler, his Heat teammate Nikola Jović and the Pelicans’ Naji Marshall were all given a one-game suspension for the incident at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Butler and Marshall were penalized for instigating the fight — Butler pushed Marshall, who retaliated by putting his hand on Butler’s neck — while Jović was flagged for leaving the bench during the incident.
Miami’s Thomas Bryant and New Orleans’ Jose Alvarado were each handed a three-game suspension for their involvement in the altercation.
Butler, Marshall, Bryant and Alvarado were all ejected from the game after the incident.
The Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans scuffle during their game Friday night.
Four players ejected Friday after Heat-Pelicans scuffle
Jimmy Butler was one of four players ejected Friday evening after a scuffle broke out between the Heat and the New Orleans Pelicans in the fourth quarter.
The incident started when Heat forward Kevin Love committed a hard foul on the Pelicans’ Zion Williamson under the basket with 11:19 remaining as the Heat led the Pelicans, 84-80. After the foul, the Pelicans’ Naji Marshall ran to his teammate’s defense and pushed Love from over Williamson.
