Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was one of four players ejected from Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans after a heated fight early in the fourth quarter. The altercation began after Pelicans forward Zion Williamson stole the ball from Butler, leading to a scuffle between the players. The Heat’s Thomas Bryant and the Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado and Naji Marshall were also ejected for their involvement in the fight.
“I only know that the boys started fighting and I had to protect my teammates,” said Heat center Bam Adebayo. “That’s what it all came down to. Obviously, you get ejected if you leave the bench, so I tried to stay on the bench and run from bench to bench to see if I could help my teammates. But those fights happen, it’s part of basketball. We compete, we’re going to have explosions like that.”
Fans in the stands also got involved, with one Pelicans fan and one Heat fan being ejected for throwing objects at players during the altercation. The referees reviewed video of the incident before deciding on the four ejections, with Love being assessed a common foul.
Despite the heated exchange, fans gave respect to Marshall and Alvarado as they left the court, recognizing their feisty playing style. The game ultimately resumed after the ejections, with the Heat holding onto their lead against the Pelicans.