On December 28th, Beijing time, the NBA witnessed a wild brawl that was anything but festive, with players throwing punches and engaging in a street-style brawl!
With the Chinese New Year approaching, the NBA saw a peak matchup at the end of 2024, featuring the Mavericks against the Suns, both teams boasting at least two superstars. Even with Doncic's injury, the game remained intense. However, with 9 minutes and 2 seconds left in the third quarter, a heated conflict erupted on the court, leading to an all-out brawl.
The score stood at 60:44 when Nurkic and Marshall began to clash, each sizing up the other. After two consecutive rounds of minor skirmishes that went unchecked by the referees, the tension escalated. Nurkic committed another offensive foul, elbowing Gafford to the ground in a move that seemed particularly aggressive. Frustrated by the call, Nurkic got up and walked away.
Seeing his teammate being targeted, Marshall started yelling at Nurkic from a distance. But Nurkic, known for his fiery temper, couldn't stand it and charged towards Marshall, engaging in a fierce verbal exchange. The words quickly turned into action as Nurkic swung his right hand, slapping Marshall across the head.
Marshall retaliated immediately, not backing down, with a swift straight punch to Nurkic's face. The blow was fast and hard, visibly reddening Nurkic's face. Washington then joined the fray, pushing Nurkic to the ground with a forceful shove to his waist.
Nurkic, upon getting up, was ready to continue fighting but was eventually restrained, falling to the ground in the process. Despite this, he wanted to keep going, showing genuine anger. Marshall, after landing his punch, turned around and walked away, knowing he would be ejected. He didn't even acknowledge the opponent, making the confrontation all the more thrilling. Actual boxing moves were displayed on the basketball court, which was quite alarming.
Irving, who was nearby, was stunned, his eyes wide open, having never seen such a scene unfold right before him. This was a true melee, intensified by Washington's involvement. Initially, the referee tried to calm Marshall down, but he ignored the official, knowing his punch would lead to ejection. He even pushed the referee aside as he made his way off the court.
As Marshall exited through the player's tunnel, he made a boxing gesture, possibly indicating a desire to continue the fight with Nurkic after the game. The conflict on the court spilled over to the outside, with intentions to settle the score.
The final decision by the referees was to eject both Nurkic and Marshall for their on-court brawl. PJ-Washington was also ejected for covertly pushing Nurkic during the chaos, making it a total of three players sent off. Nurkic managed to trade one for two in a desperate attempt, while Durant and Irving watched from the sidelines, neither stepping in to intervene.