During a heated encounter in the fourth quarter of the Miami Heat’s 106-95 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, Jimmy Butler was one of four players ejected following an on-court altercation.
Butler expressed disagreement with his ejection, stating his intention was to defuse a potential conflict by separating Pelicans forward Naji Marshall from Kevin Love, inadvertently making contact with Marshall’s neck in the process.
The incident escalated into a brawl with 11:19 remaining in the game and Miami ahead 84-81, leading to the ejection of Heat’s Thomas Bryant and Pelicans’ Marshall and Jose Alvarado. The altercation was sparked when Zion Williamson of the Pelicans intercepted a pass from Butler. Love intervened to prevent Williamson’s clear path to the basket, resulting in a foul and Williamson’s fall. Marshall’s approach to protest Love’s foul on Williamson ignited the brawl.
Williamson appreciated Love’s intervention, viewing it as a protective act, while Butler criticized Williamson for exaggerating the fall and blamed Marshall’s aggressive response for escalating the situation. The scuffle saw Butler and Marshall grappling by the neck as players and coaches from both teams rushed to intervene.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra attributed the brawl to a misunderstanding and overreaction to the play, defending Love’s actions and dismissing the idea that Love could physically overpower Williamson.
After reviewing the altercation, officials handed out four ejections and a common foul to Love. The crowd reacted passionately, with fans of both teams getting ejected for unruly behavior.
Spoelstra and players acknowledged the intensity of the competition, with Spoelstra suggesting that such enthusiasm is expected in the sport despite occasionally leading to conflicts. He anticipated the NBA’s review for potential disciplinary actions but emphasized the competitiveness that spurred the incident.
Butler remained confident in his team’s superiority, looking forward to their next match against the Pelicans and emphasizing the Heat’s readiness and cohesion.
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