What’s going on in the NBA, man? It just seems like tempers are flying everywhere.
On Thursday night it’s Dillon Brooks taking a cheap shot at Donovan Mitchell, which leads into a fight and an eventual (and also rightful!) suspension for Brooks.
The very next night, we get a huge scuffle between Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba that will undoubtedly lead to a few more suspensions. It was such a wild scene. No one saw it coming.
Austin Rivers was by the Orlando Magic bench one second where Bamba was seated and then, next thing you know, the two are both on the ground tussling away.
We only have a few details on what went down, so here’s everything we know so far.
Wait, Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba fought?
Yes! It was wild. Late in the 3rd quarter of the Magic-Timberwolves game, tempers flared between the two.
Cameras were on the game, then players started going toward the Magic bench. And then the cameras just cut to Rivers and Bamba getting into it.
AUSTIN RIVERS AND MO BAMBA GET INTO IT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/kUFYXgPvI5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 4, 2023
Multiple Magic players got into it, including Jalen Suggs who tossed Rivers to the ground. It was a wild scene.
So what happened? Why did this start?
It actually started in a prior possession. Austin Rivers missed a corner 3-pointer, Bamba talked some trash, the two exchanged words and then Bamba stuck his tongue out at Rivers.
Austin Rivers missed the corner three, words were exchanges and Mo Bamba sticks his tongue out at him?? WHAT LMAO pic.twitter.com/swAGwL1fFA
— 𝓳𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓱 (@Huncho_Jman) February 4, 2023
I have no idea what was said, but it couldn’t have been good because it prompted Markelle Fultz to make this face.
NEED to know what Mo Bamba yelled at Austin Rivers after Rivers missed a 3 in front of the Magic bench that made Markelle Fultz react like “woah dude too far” pic.twitter.com/njiMD26IIP
— Jordan Zirm (@JordanZirm) February 4, 2023
That face ain’t never good. Anyway, Rivers comes back to the bench here.
Different angle Mo Bamba v Austin Rivers pic.twitter.com/qHh3sJzxMk
— 🚫 No Baseball Podcast (@nobaseballpod) February 4, 2023
Then it all starts.
Who else was involved?
In total there were five players ejected from the game for getting involved in the fight.
The Timberwolves lost Rivers, Jaden McDaniels and Taurean Prince who both came over to help Rivers and ended up involved. The Magic lost two players in Bamba and Suggs, who were both involved in the Magic’s end of things.
Did anyone have anything to say after?
Austin Rivers spoke about it after the game, saying “ain’t nobody worried about him, man.”
He also wanted to make note that he didn’t want to hurt anybody and that things went too far. Take a listen.
"I went in there 1-on-5. I ain't have no help."
Austin Rivers talks about his fight with Mo Bamba & Suggs grabbing his neckpic.twitter.com/39CtUOgd2v
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 4, 2023
“I don’t know how serious his threats were. I don’t think anybody was trying to…I think he was probably angry and mad in the moment as well. I’m sure in an hour or two he’ll probably look back and be embarrassed about this as much as I will be.
I never want to fight nobody. That’s never the answer. I always do that in self defense. But, someone like that, he’s also 7 foot. He stands up in front of me and comes with that aggression, bro, at that point I’ve got to protect myself.”
They also both dropped Instagram posts talking trash to each other.
Mo Bamba and Austin Rivers both took to Instagram following their altercation during Friday's game. pic.twitter.com/SAOdA0xDdz
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 4, 2023
None of this is a good look. Suspensions are definitely coming. The only questions left to ask are how many and how long.
