Three Miami Heat players–Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic and Thomas Bryant–were suspended by the NBA as a result of Friday’s altercation between the Heat and Pelicans, the team announced Sunday.
UPDATE: Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic have each been suspended one game by the NBA due to actions in Friday night’s game vs the Pelicans. They will serve those suspensions during tomorrow night’s game vs the Kings.
Thomas Bryant has been suspended 3 games, beginning tomorrow.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 25, 2024
Here is the full video of the scuffle, which occurred just moments into the fourth quarter after Kevin Love fouled Zion Williamson, beginning with Butler and Naji Marshall:
Thomas Bryant, who exchanged punches with Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, was handed the heftiest suspension (three games), while Butler and Jovic received just one-game suspensions. Marshall (one game) and Alvarado (three games) were also suspended by the league.
All of the Heat suspensions will begin Monday against the Sacramento Kings, the first leg of a back-to-back. The Pelicans’ punishments will begin Sunday evening against the Chicago Bulls.
The Heat was pretty fortunate the suspensions weren’t worse with multiple other players coming off the bench during the altercation (which oftentimes nets one game), despite not creating any additional ruckus.
Butler, Marshall and Alvarado were all assessed technicals and ejected from the game. The Heat eventually closed the final 8:31 of Friday’s game with a 17-4 run en route to a 106-95 win. Adebayo was the most crucial player in that stretch, scoring 12 of his 24 points in the final period. Miami’s won three straight and seven of their last nine contests, currently in the mix of the play-in race in the Eastern Conference.
Guards Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson remain out for Monday’s affair due to injury; Tyler Herro, who suffered a knee injury late in the fourth quarter, could also miss Monday’s game (the injury report has yet to be released).
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thats exactly the motivation that Jimmy needs to activate : #playoffJimmy
LMAO!!!!
That is freaking hysterical!
Lol that’s cute suspending Jimmy and the kid. Dunc will shoot the lights out vs Kings. Go Heat!
Not a single thing that happened in that fight was as bad as Jaylen Brown trying to break Duncan’s arm
Alvarado’s sucker punch was just as lame, just not as dangerous
Bam, JJJ, dunc, Martin, highsmith, orobinson, cain, swider, Love and a new guy still available.
Wright can gets his chance to prove, that he is worth it.
I wouldnt underestimate this group. A dangerous mix of hungry players, fighting for contracts, and experienced vets.
Wow we got some bad luck ☹️, so now we got 6 guys out sheesh, and against a good kings team. Hopefully I’m wrong, but we’re probably gonna lose against them. But at least it gives spo a chance to experiment with another lineup change. So we’re definitely going to see the other Wright brother and should hopefully see some orob. I’m looking forward to seeing a lineup of delon, duncan,caleb, bam, orob .
kings play lac tonight that helps
Oh well, stuff happens and it seems fair. On another note about the altercation – did you see which of our guys were right at the front of that scrum? Jaquez and Duncan! Gotta love the spunk of those 2. Living up to the Big Guy moniker Dunc Yard Dog.
It was dope seeing the rookie Juan wick and the crafty vet ..The Dunc yard dog in the trenches showing moxy. Also I can’t take all the credit for that moniker, when I got it from a longtime miami sports fan YouTuber by the name of tobin. Also Idk if I was the only one to notice that jaquez got punched too at the 18 sec mark.
Yeah, I like Tobin. Locked on Heat is good too. But you were the first to bring it here.
Yes you’re right about that lol, I appreciate that coming from you bro.
You would think this game against the Kings is an automatic loss, but these are the games Spo cooks up some of his best dishes. I’m going with the Iron Chef 😛
Yep they got this. They’ve been playing good, winning already when Butler was out.