Detroit Pistons player Isaiah Stewart has been suspended for two games, while four other players—Detroit’s Ron Holland II and Marcus Sasser, along with Minnesota’s Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo—received one-game suspensions for their involvement in an on-court altercation earlier this week.
Stewart’s two-game suspension was partly due to his history of unsportsmanlike conduct, according to the league.
All five players, along with Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Minnesota assistant coach Pablo Prigioni, were ejected from the game on Sunday.
Bickerstaff commented after the incident, saying, “Obviously things went too far. But what you see is guys looking out for one another, guys trying to protect one another, guys trying to have each other’s backs. Those are nonnegotiables in our locker room.”
The altercation started when Ron Holland II fouled Naz Reid with 8:36 remaining in the second quarter of the Timberwolves’ 123-104 win over the Pistons in Minneapolis. Reid responded by confronting Holland, who then pushed Donte DiVincenzo. In turn, DiVincenzo shoved Holland back, and the scuffle ended with both players falling into spectators sitting along the baseline.
Isaiah Stewart and Marcus Sasser joined the altercation, which led to further escalation, according to the league.
Reid and DiVincenzo will serve their one-game suspensions on Tuesday during the Timberwolves’ game against Denver. Stewart’s suspension will start on Wednesday when the Pistons face Oklahoma City, with Holland and Sasser also serving their suspensions in that matchup.
