Magic top Timberwolves after 5 players ejected for fighting

MINNEAPOLIS(AP) — Afight broke out and punches were thrownduringthe game between the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves onFriday night.

Fiveplayers were ejected following the brawl, which started in front ofthe Orlando bench late in the third quarter. Minnesota guard AustinRivers and Magic center Mo Bamba were the initial players involved,and it spilled over to include several others on the court.

Rivers,Jaden McDaniels and Taurean Prince were ejected from theTimberwolves. Jalen Suggs was tossed along with Bamba for Orlando,which went on to win 127-120.

The Target Center Tussle 👀#RaisedByWolves| #NBApic.twitter.com/7DPJwnELgS

“This isn’tlike a cool moment for me,”Rivers said after thegame.“I feel embarrassed. I’m the oldest on the team. Iconsider myself the leader of the team, or one of the leaders ofthe team. It was a weird game, and I don’t think that helped atall. If anything right now, I’m just (ticked off) that we lost, andthat I had (something) to do with that. It doesn’t make me feelgood.”

Bamba andSuggs were not available for comment after the game.

“Youobviously want to have your teammate’s back and at the same time,you’ve got to be a professional,” said Orlando center MoritzWagner, also involved in a skirmish with Detroit in December.

“So, that’sa challenge for a young team like us. I think this time around wedid a good job compared to last time. So, yeah, I don’t reallyknow. It’s a weird dynamic. You don’t really want to be in thosesituations and it’s not really the best look. You want to beprofessional. At the same time, there is something in me thatappreciates the team sticking together like that.”

Wagnerappeared to get knocked out in that fight with the Pistons inDetroit. Wagner and Detroit’s Killian Hayes and Hamadou Diallo wereall ejected.

On thisnight, the fight began with Rivers right in front of the Magicbench as play was ongoing at the far end of the court. Bamba cameoff the bench and Rivers threw punches at him. Suggs later pulledRivers away and swung him to the court. McDaniels and Prince joinedthe scrum.

“Their guycame off the bench and threw a punch,” TimberwolvescoachChris Finch said.“Pretty egregious. Then it’s a melee, and somehow our guys getpunished a lot worse. One guy got sent for not being a peacekeeper.I just looked at the film, and I didn’t see any difference betweenwhat their guys were doing and what our guys were doing.”

Thealtercation seemed to stem from talk from the Magic bench,particularly Bamba. A few moments earlier, Rivers missed a 3-pointattempt in front of the Orlando bench, and Bamba and Markelle Fultzcould be seen reacting to the miss.

Rivers saidhe approached the 7-foot, 231-pound Bamba about his comments.

“I’m notgonna snitch on the dude or whatever, but I just didn’t like theway he was talking to me,” said Rivers, listed at 6-4 and 200pounds. “For no reason, too. I don’t even know that dude. I don’tknow anything about him. Obviously, I just know he’s a player forthe Magic. And he proceeded to talk, so that next possession, whenI went down there, I just said, pretty much, ‘Just keep itrespectful, bro.’”

Riverslater added: “I went up to him and I pressed him, and at thatpoint, it can go one of two ways. I didn’t think we were going toget in a fight. But when you stand up that fast and put your handsup — he threw a punch and missed, thankfully. At that point, I’vegot to protect myself. Ain’t no one worried about him.”

The fightcame one night afteran on-court altercation betweenMemphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks and Cleveland Cavaliers guardDonovan Mitchell.

Brooksswung and struck Mitchell in the groin area during the thirdquarter Thursday after the Grizzlies guard had fallen to the floor.Mitchell retaliated by throwing the ball at Brooks and then shovinghim.

Bothplayers were ejected from Cleveland’s 128-113 win.Afterward,Mitchell accused Brooks of being adirty player.

The NBA announced punishments forboth playersFriday, with Brooks getting suspended onegame without pay and Mitchell fined $20,000.