The NBA announced on Sunday that Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler was among five players suspended for their roles in an altercation that occurred during Friday night’s game in New Orleans between the Heat and Pelicans.
Butler, forward Nikola Jović, and Pelicans forward Naji Marshall have been suspended one game for “instigating and engaging in” an on-court altercation. In addition, Heat center Thomas Bryant and Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado have been suspended three games for leaving the bench area during the on-court altercation that broke out between the two teams. Butler, Marshall, Alvarado, and Bryant were all ejected from Friday night’s game for their antics in the altercation.
The altercation in question began after Zion Williamson was fouled by Kevin Love, resulting in Williamson falling to the ground, prompting a scuffle to break out behind the scenes between the two teams, with Marshall and Butler at the center of it all. Marshall grabbed Butler’s neck, causing matters to escalate with both teams shoving and pushing one another. Alvarado and Bryant both left the bench area, as well as Jović, who was seen shouting at and trying to push his way towards the Pelicans bench along with Bryan. After the initial scuffle had been broken up, Alvarado and Bryant met at the scorer’s table and again started fighting.
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