The NBA witnessed one of its most chaotic moments of the season last night as the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves engaged in a bench-clearing brawl that spilled into the stands at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The altercation, which occurred midway through the second quarter, resulted in seven ejections, including players, coaches, and even a shaken-up fan in the front row.
The incident began innocuously enough when Timberwolves forward Naz Reid drove to the basket and was fouled hard by Pistons rookie Ron Holland. While the foul was called, Reid took exception to the play and confronted Holland, wagging his finger in the rookie’s face. Holland, refusing to back down, exchanged words with Reid, escalating the tension.
Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo stepped in, seemingly to de-escalate the situation, but things quickly spiraled out of control. Holland shoved DiVincenzo, who retaliated, and the two players became entangled in a shoving match. The scuffle drew players and coaches from both benches, and the momentum of the melee carried into the front row of the stands, knocking over a cameraman and startling nearby fans.
A fight breaks out between the Pistons and Timberwolves
Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser, Pistons HC J. B. Bickerstaff and Wolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni were all ejected pic.twitter.com/TJA3OczOxB
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2025
After a lengthy review by officials, seven individuals were ejected from the game. For the Pistons, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff were sent to the locker room. The Timberwolves lost Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni. Despite the chaos, no punches were thrown, and no players appeared to be injured, though the league is expected to review the incident for potential suspensions and fines.
The Pistons, already shorthanded due to injuries to key players like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, were left scrambling to adjust their lineup. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves rallied around their remaining players, ultimately securing a 123-104 victory behind standout performances from Julius Randle, Anthony Edwards, and Rudy Gobert.
The game was already intense, with both teams battling for playoff positioning in their respective conferences. The Pistons entered the matchup as the fifth seed in the East, while the Timberwolves were fighting to climb out of the play-in tournament in the West. The physicality of the game, combined with frustrations over officiating, seemed to set the stage for the explosive altercation.
The NBA has yet to issue an official statement, but the league is expected to take swift action to address the incident. With the playoffs just weeks away, both teams will be eager to move past the controversy and focus on their postseason aspirations.
