Four Pistons ejected, including JB Bickerstaff
A Ron Holland foul on Naz Reid under the basket with 8:36 in the second quarter escalated into a scrum of players pushing and shoving into the first rows at Target Center. In the end, five players and two coaches were ejected in the scuffle and aftermath during the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves matchup, including Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff.
In the end, Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland and Marcus Sasser joined Bickerstaff in the locker room, while the Wolves lost Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid.
Holland seemed to take exception to Reid pointing in his face and having a few words, and DiVincenzo shoved Holland away as he approached Reid. Holland, in turn, shoved DiVincenzo away, and that led to the fiery Wolves guard to grab Holland, with both players tumbling into the first row of fans on the baseline.
That is when all hell broke loose, with players from both sides running into the scrum and trying to either separate or get at certain players. Stewart, as is his habit, went from zero to 100, and despite being held back by a number of security and players seemed to try to get at Reid. Off to the side, DiVincenzo and and Sasser were shoving and slapping at each other.
Wolves & Pistons scrap
While the play was getting sorted and under an extended review, it seemed like Bickerstaff and Pablo Brigioni had words, though it is unclear what was said to lead to both the Pistons head coach and the Wolves assistant coach getting ejected.
The Pistons led 39-29 at the time and found themselves down three players. The entered the game already missing three regular starters — Jaden Ivey, who has been out since Jan. 1, Cade Cunningham, missing his fourth consecutive game, and Tobias Harris, missing his second straight.