Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, which included a brawl, showcased the Minnesota Timberwolves’ tenacity and togetherness.
From the outset, the game was physical, marked by an excessive number of foul calls and plenty of trash talk. This intensity boiled over with about eight minutes left in the first half.
A Brawl Breaks Out
Isaiah Stewart, notorious for stirring the pot, had just been assessed a technical foul for shoving DiVincenzo moments before the altercation.
Shortly after, Ron Holland II was called for a foul for swiping at Naz Reid‘s arm as he went up for a layup. Reid took issue with Holland’s defense, walking toward him and pointing in his face. DiVincenzo intervened, shoving Holland away from Reid. From there, chaos erupted.
Nearly every player and coach from both teams rushed onto the floor toward the skirmish. The fight spilled into the crowd, where DiVincenzo found himself surrounded by Holland, Stewart, and Marcus Sasser. Meanwhile, Reid was buried beneath a pile of bodies amidst the chaos.
During the raucous, Timberwolves assistant coach, Pablo Prigioni, and Pistons head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff got into a shouting match. Their fellow coaches needed to separate them to avoid any escalation.
In total, there were seven ejections: Reid, DiVincenzo, and Prigioni were ejected for the Timberwolves, while Stewart, Holland, Sasser, and Bickerstaff were ejected for the Pistons.
At the time of the brawl, the Timberwolves were trailing 39-30. While the altercation didn’t immediately spark a scoring surge, the Timberwolves gradually battled their way back into the game, ultimately taking control in the second half.
Timberwolves Get the W
The final score was a 123-104 victory for the Timberwolves, who outscored the Pistons 93-65 after the brawl. The second half, in particular, was dominant for Minnesota, outscoring the Pistons by 25 points.
Every Timberwolves player who saw minutes contributed to the dominant victory. Rudy Gobert posted 19 points and pulled down 25 rebounds, while Julius Randle added 26 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Anthony Edwards took over in the third quarter, scoring 20 of his 25 points in that period. Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker also played key roles in the win.
DiVincenzo’s defense of Reid, coupled with the team’s collective response to the brawl, fueled a much-needed victory as the Timberwolves fight for a higher seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
This performance showcased the team’s tenacity and togetherness, boding well for a potential playoff run.
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