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The Cleveland Cavaliers took home the victory against the Memphis Grizzlies with a final score of 128:113, but the real story of the night was the on-court altercation that overshadowed the game's events. During the beginning of the third quarter, tensions between players escalated into a full-blown fight, leading to the ejection of both participants and likely fines to come.
The Spark of Contention
As Memphis player, Dillion Brooks, drove to the basket, he was stopped by a block from Cleveland's star player, Donovan Mitchell. Brooks fell to the floor in front of Mitchell, and, in a controversial move, he hit the Cleveland guard in the crotch with his hand.
Mitchell fell to the ground, retaliated by throwing the ball at Brooks, and the two players started a physical altercation.
Fight Breaks Out
The fight quickly escalated, drawing in their teammates, but officials were able to get the situation under control before any punches were thrown.
While Mitchell and Brooks were both ejected from the game, there is a possibility that the league will punish Brooks further for his actions.
Mitchell Speaks Out
Mitchell believes that there should be consequences for Brooks' actions and that the Memphis guard's behavior is unruly.
"That was a cheap shot in multiple ways. A guy should have the right to stand up for himself. I thought Donovan did that," he said via ESPN. "But when you start doing little stuff like that, that’s where my frustration lies.
It’s not about talking back and forth. That’s cool, but when you start doing cheap stuff, that ain’t it."
Accusations of Dirty Play
Mitchell also accused Brooks of being a dirty player, saying that the NBA needs to do something about Brooks' behavior.
“That’s just who he is," Mitchell said. "We’ve seen it a bunch in this league with him. There’s no place for that in the game."
Garland Shines for the Cavaliers
While the altercation between Mitchell and Brooks stole the spotlight, it's worth mentioning the impressive performance from Cleveland's Collin Garland, who had an All-Star-caliber season.
Garland added 11 assists in the victory against the Grizzlies and was praised by Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff for his leadership.