Two NBA players were ejected from a game over the weekend after they engaged in a fight that ended up in the stands.
The Toronto Raptors’ Christian Koloko and Miami Heat’s Caleb Martin were ejected in the third quarter on Saturday night after a scuffle broke out between the two.
Koloko and Martin both went up to grab a rebound off of a missed 3-point attempt when they came down twisted up with each other.
When Koloko hit the floor, Martin stood over him in an intimidating manner, and when Koloko bumped into Martin as he stood up, Martin tackled Koloko into the stands.
The fight led to players, coaches, and staff rushing in to break things up.
WATCH:
Tensions are HIGH between the Raps and Heat!
Caleb Martin and Christian Koloko get into it on the court. pic.twitter.com/7bNwJf0sAI
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 23, 2022
Koloko said afterward that he had no idea what led Martin to tackle him.
“He just stood there looking at me like crazy,” he said. “I just stood up. I don’t know.”
Martin claimed that there were “a lot of plays that were kind of leading up to it.”
“It was a chippy game. That’s typically how the game goes with Toronto,” Martin continued. “It’s a chippy back and forth. But ultimately I just think that emotions were high and the game was a close game. It was back and forth. Overall, I got to be more professional in the way I handle those type of situations.”
Miami ended up winning 112 to 109.
The NBA suspended Martin for one game, which ESPN noted would cost him nearly $45,000.
Koloko was fined $15,000, and Heat rookie Nikola Jovic was also suspended for leaving the bench during the incident.
“Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin has been suspended one game without pay for instigating an on-court altercation by taunting Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko and then tackling him into the spectator stands, and Koloko has been fined $15,000 for grabbing Martin during the altercation,” the league said in a statement. “Heat forward Nikola Jovic has also been suspended one game without pay for leaving the bench area and entering the altercation. The incident, for which Martin and Koloko were each assessed one technical foul and ejected, began when the players became entangled while battling for rebounding position. The incident occurred with 7:46 remaining in the third quarter of the Heat’s 112-109 win over the Raptors at FTX Arena on Oct. 22.”
The league said Martin and Jovic would serve their one-game suspensions on Monday when the Heat tip off against the Raptors at FTX Arena.