Ranking The Five Biggest NBA Fights In League History
NBA games can become very tense, which can cause players to lose their temper. It does not happen very often but fights break out during an NBA game. A recent fight broke out during the Detroit Pistons versus Orlando Magic game.
Killian Hayes and Moe Wagner got into a fight in which Hayes knocked out Wagner.
Some fights have been much more impactful than others.
Below, we will discuss The
Top Five Fights That Changed The NBA
Some NBA fights have been historical and have been talked about for years and decades.
Below is a list of the top five fights that have changed the league.
5. Denver Nuggets vs New York Knicks
This brawl occurred on December 16, 2006, roughly two years after the Malice at the Palace.
It may not have been the most brutal brawl but the league’s punitive measures against the participants effectively removed fisticuffs from the sport.
The Knicks were at home and getting blown out. They were very upset the Nuggets still had their starters on the floor.
NBA games can become very tense, which can cause players to lose their temper.
It does not happen very often but fights break out during an NBA game.
A recent fight broke out during the Detroit Pistons versus Orlando Magic game.
Killian Hayes and Moe Wagner got into a fight in which Hayes knocked out Wagner.
Some fights have been much more impactful than others.
Below, we will discuss five fights that changed the NBA.
Top Five Fights That Changed The NBA
Some NBA fights have been historical and have been talked about for years and decades.
Below is a list of the top five fights that have changed the league.
5. Denver Nuggets vs New York Knicks
This brawl occurred on December 16, 2006, roughly two years after the Malice at the Palace.
It may not have been the most brutal brawl but the league’s punitive measures against the participants effectively removed fisticuffs from the sport.
The Knicks were at home and getting blown out. They were very upset the Nuggets still had their starters on the floor.
Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas told Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby that they should not have been in the game.
Thomas later said the message was “It wouldn’t be a good idea for you to rub it in and go to the basket and dunk it on our guys.”
The Knicks coach subbed in Mardy Collins, who would flagrant foul JR Smith shortly after.
Smith got up and started chirping Collins. Nate Robinson got in Smith’s face.
Anthony shoved Robinson, who got tangled up with Smith, and the two got into a fight that went into the stands.
As things looked to be calming down, Anthony punched Collins.
Jared Jeffries then chased Anthony to near half-court before being tackled by a Denver Nuggets player.
After the Malace at the Palace, the late NBA Commissioner David Stern came down hard and suspended seven players for a total of 47 games.
Carmelo Anthony, who was leading the league in scoring at the time, was suspended for 15 games.
NBA games can become very tense, which can cause players to lose their temper.
It does not happen very often but fights break out during an NBA game.
A recent fight broke out during the Detroit Pistons versus Orlando Magic game.
Killian Hayes and Moe Wagner got into a fight in which Hayes knocked out Wagner.
Some fights have been much more impactful than others.
Below, we will discuss five fights that changed the NBA.
Top Five Fights That Changed The NBA
Some NBA fights have been historical and have been talked about for years and decades.
Below is a list of the top five fights that have changed the league.
5. Denver Nuggets vs New York Knicks
This brawl occurred on December 16, 2006, roughly two years after the Malice at the Palace.
It may not have been the most brutal brawl but the league’s punitive measures against the participants effectively removed fisticuffs from the sport.
The Knicks were at home and getting blown out. They were very upset the Nuggets still had their starters on the floor.
Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas told Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby that they should not have been in the game.
Thomas later said the message was “It wouldn’t be a good idea for you to rub it in and go to the basket and dunk it on our guys.”
The Knicks coach subbed in Mardy Collins, who would flagrant foul JR Smith shortly after.
Smith got up and started chirping Collins. Nate Robinson got in Smith’s face.
Anthony shoved Robinson, who got tangled up with Smith, and the two got into a fight that went into the stands.
As things looked to be calming down, Anthony punched Collins.
Jared Jeffries then chased Anthony to near half-court before being tackled by a Denver Nuggets player.
After the Malace at the Palace, the late NBA Commissioner David Stern came down hard and suspended seven players for a total of 47 games.
Carmelo Anthony, who was leading the league in scoring at the time, was suspended for 15 games.
4. Phoenix Suns vs New York Knicks
On March 23, 1993, the Phoenix Suns took on a physical New York Knicks team.
The Suns stomped the Knicks 121-92.
But during the game, a bench-clearing brawl broke out which saw six ejections and 12 technical fouls.
It all started before halftime. It was a battle between Knicks point guard and current Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers and Suns point guard Kevin Johnson.
The two exchanged words after Johnson deflected an inbounds pass.
On the ensuing pass, Rivers bumped Johnson, and Johnson drew a whistle.
Doc Rivers got in the face of the referee and then went chest-to-chest with Johnson.
Benches cleared but it did not get out of hand at this point.
Well, on the next possession, Rivers drew a charge on Johnson and talked smack.
When the Knicks got the ball back, Rivers went to screen Johnson, and Johnson nailed Rivers in the chest with his shoulder.
Rivers got up and charged Johnson as the halftime buzzer went off.
NBA
Ranking The Five Biggest NBA Fights In League History
6 min read
Disclosure
NBA games can become very tense, which can cause players to lose their temper.
It does not happen very often but fights break out during an NBA game.
A recent fight broke out during the Detroit Pistons versus Orlando Magic game.
Killian Hayes and Moe Wagner got into a fight in which Hayes knocked out Wagner.
Some fights have been much more impactful than others.
Below, we will discuss five fights that changed the NBA.
Top Five Fights That Changed The NBA
Some NBA fights have been historical and have been talked about for years and decades.
Below is a list of the top five fights that have changed the league.
5. Denver Nuggets vs New York Knicks
This brawl occurred on December 16, 2006, roughly two years after the Malice at the Palace.
It may not have been the most brutal brawl but the league’s punitive measures against the participants effectively removed fisticuffs from the sport.
The Knicks were at home and getting blown out. They were very upset the Nuggets still had their starters on the floor.
Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas told Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby that they should not have been in the game.
Thomas later said the message was “It wouldn’t be a good idea for you to rub it in and go to the basket and dunk it on our guys.”
The Knicks coach subbed in Mardy Collins, who would flagrant foul JR Smith shortly after.
Smith got up and started chirping Collins. Nate Robinson got in Smith’s face.
Anthony shoved Robinson, who got tangled up with Smith, and the two got into a fight that went into the stands.
As things looked to be calming down, Anthony punched Collins.
Jared Jeffries then chased Anthony to near half-court before being tackled by a Denver Nuggets player.
After the Malace at the Palace, the late NBA Commissioner David Stern came down hard and suspended seven players for a total of 47 games.
Carmelo Anthony, who was leading the league in scoring at the time, was suspended for 15 games.
4. Phoenix Suns vs New York Knicks
On March 23, 1993, the Phoenix Suns took on a physical New York Knicks team.
The Suns stomped the Knicks 121-92.
But during the game, a bench-clearing brawl broke out which saw six ejections and 12 technical fouls.
It all started before halftime. It was a battle between Knicks point guard and current Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers and Suns point guard Kevin Johnson.
The two exchanged words after Johnson deflected an inbounds pass.
On the ensuing pass, Rivers bumped Johnson, and Johnson drew a whistle.
Doc Rivers got in the face of the referee and then went chest-to-chest with Johnson.
Benches cleared but it did not get out of hand at this point.
Well, on the next possession, Rivers drew a charge on Johnson and talked smack.
When the Knicks got the ball back, Rivers went to screen Johnson, and Johnson nailed Rivers in the chest with his shoulder.
Rivers got up and charged Johnson as the halftime buzzer went off.
Greg Anthony, who was injured and was not playing in the game, came from the bench, exchanged words with Johnson, and then punched Johnson right in the face.
Anthony and Johnson were on the floor with a bunch of people on top of them.
Then Knicks head coach Pat Riley had his pants ripped.
This forced the league to change rules that increased penalties for fighting and leaving the bench during a fight.
3. Julius Erving vs Larry Bird
In the 1980s, the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics owned the Eastern Conference.
From 1980-1987, the Celtics or 76ers represented the East in the NBA Finals.
Julius Erving and Larry Bird were two of the most popular players in the league.
Well on November 9, 1984, two of the biggest stars in the NBA got into an altercation.
It started with an offensive foul being called on Bird and he was not happy about it.
Bird went down the court, kind of stomping his feet.
Erving was actually trying to calm Bird as it looked like Bird was getting really heated at the referee.
Erving extended his arm but ended up grabbing Bird’s neck by accident.
Larry got heated after Erving accidentally grabbed him by the neck and a brawl broke out.
The two stars exchanged punches. Moses Malone and M.L. Carr got into a fight.
The benches cleared and there was a pile of players on the floor fighting.
In all, 17 players and 76ers coach Billy Cunningham were all fined.
Erving and Bird got the biggest of the fines. They were each fined $7,500, which was the second-largest fine in NBA history at the time.
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