As time has gone on, fights on the basketball court have become less and less frequent in the NBA. The league and its offices have done a fantastic job of punishing players accordingly for fighting on the court and have deterred players from engaging in such acts. Of course, fights still happen but players certainly think twice before losing their cool and throwing hands at an opposing player. This has not always been the case though, as fighting on the court used to be an everyday occurrence during the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s. The league was so violent at a point during the 70s and 80s that the league was almost dismantled altogether.
- 10. Alonzo Mourning vs. Larry Johnson
- 9. Shaquille O’Neal vs. Charles Barkley
- 8. Michael Jordan vs. Reggie Miller
- 7. Phoenix Suns vs. New York Knicks 1993 Brawl
- 6. Rudy Tomjanovich vs. Kermit Washington
- 5. Kevin McHale vs. Kurt Rambis
- 4. New York Knicks-Chicago Bulls Brawl 1994
- 3. Larry Bird vs. Julius Erving
- 2. Denver Nuggets vs. New York Knicks Brawl 2006
- 1. The Malice At The Palace
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With the recent release of the video of Draymond Green punching teammate Jordan Poole in practice, we thought we would take this opportunity to remind fans about some of the biggest fights in NBA history. By no means are we glorifying violence, but rather use this as a reference that there have been so many instances of fights in NBA history that have had much worse outcomes. This does not justify what Green did, but we do need to treat it as though this is not the first time that something like this was seen by every fan across the world.
These are the 10 biggest fights in NBA history.
10. Alonzo Mourning vs. Larry Johnson
Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning were once teammates competing alongside one another with the Charlotte Hornets early in their careers. The beef between the two men started here when Mourning used to publicly complain about the money that Johnson was making with the team. After Charlotte, Mourning moved on to the Miami Heat while Johnson went to New York with the Knicks. One night during a heated playoff Game 4 between the Knicks and Heat, the beef came to a head.
With just seconds remaining in the game, Mourning and Johnson got tangled up, and the fists started flying. Luckily for both players, they missed their respective punches by a mile. Both players were quickly separated after coaches, players, and security rushed the floor. The funniest moment of the entire scuffle came when Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy tried to do his best to restrain Mourning before becoming entangled around the Heat big man’s lower leg. Johnson and Mourning were each suspended 2 games, and the Knicks eliminated the Heat from the playoffs a few days later.
9. Shaquille O’Neal vs. Charles Barkley
Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley can be seen these days as co-hosts on the NBA TNT and the hit post-game show, Inside The NBA. Things weren’t always that way as evidenced by a scuffle they were at the center of in 1999. The Los Angeles Lakers were taking on the Houston Rockets in a regular season contest late in the 1999 season when the two big men crossed paths. At some point during the contest, things went awry, and the two became entangled in a WWE-like slugfest.
Late in the game, Barkley was driving to the lane when a foul was called and the play was set to stop. Shaq, being the antagonist he is, kept playing and gave Barkley a small shove after the whistle. Barkley didn’t take kindly to this and bounced the ball off of Shaq in frustration. Shaq became irate and immediately swung a vicious right hand. Barkley impressively ducked out of the way and as teammates came to break it up, Shaq and Barkley hit the floor. Barkley and Shaq were each suspended 1 game without pay and went on to provide us with endless hours of entertainment together on TNT.
8. Michael Jordan vs. Reggie Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3s_NwDWlaE
Michael Jordan is well-known for being a fiery competitor as he and the Bulls dominated the 90s. Not far behind him from that decade as far as competitive edge goes was Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers. The year was 1993 and the Chicago Bulls were in the third year of their first three-peat as a team. Miller had already established himself as a cocky and arrogant start in his 6th NBA season. The two competitive spirits would meet face-to-face late in a regular season contest between the Pacers and Bulls.
The Pacers were on a fast break, and Michael Jordan was the trailing defender. As Pooh Richardson missed the transition layup, Reggie Miller came to follow it up and flush the rebound. As Miller landed, he met Jordan under the basket and gave him a significant shove as he headed back up the floor. Jordan didn’t take kindly to this as he rushed Miller and the two met nose-to-nose on the court, screaming in each other’s faces. Punches were thrown by Jordan, but no significant damage was done as Bulls and Pacers personnel jumped in to separate the two. Jordan was fined $10,000 and suspended one game, while Miller escaped suspension and was fined $6,000.
7. Phoenix Suns vs. New York Knicks 1993 Brawl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAtFyenKG9k
In 1993, both the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns were 6-win teams who had dreams of a championship season. The 2 teams met in a March showdown of two top teams and tensions were high from the opening whistle. What would occur next would go down as the nastiest fight of that season and one of the biggest of the 90s decade. It occurred right before halftime and was ignited by a petty and unnecessary cheap shot.
Doc Rivers was bringing up the ball for the Knicks as the first half winded down. Kevin Johnson of the Suns came running across the floor and threw a forearm to the shoulder and head of Rivers. Naturally, Rivers wanted a piece of Johnson and went running after him rapidly. Players and coaches stormed the court to cease the melee, but it was too late. Greg Anthony of the Knicks was out for the game with an ankle injury but had no issue running across the floor and delivering a shot that caused a 12-player pileup. Both Rivers and Johnson were suspended for 2 games and fined $15,000 each. Anthony received the stiffest punishment with a 5-game suspension and a $20,500 fine.
6. Rudy Tomjanovich vs. Kermit Washington
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM2CLRnR2cQ
The next fight is ranked so high simply because of its sheer brutality and the effect it had on two NBA players’ lives. During a regular-season meeting between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, all hell broke loose on a routine missed shot off the hands of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kevin Kunnert of the Rockets snagged the rebound, got the ball to the outlet, and began to run up the court. What ensued was one of the most vicious things to ever happen in basketball.
Kermit Washington of the Lakers grabbed at the trunks of Kunnert, which annoyed the Rockets’ big man. He swatted at Washington’s hand, to which Washington responded with a flurry of punches. Rockets player Rudy Tomjanovich came running in to break things up when Washing spun and socked Tomjanovich shattering his face. The punch broke Rudy’s nose, and eye socket, and nearly blinded and killed him. Tomjanovich made a full recovery and became an All-Star in 1979 while Washington was suspended for 60 days and fined $10,000. The punch changed both lives forever and neither player’s career was ever the same again.
5. Kevin McHale vs. Kurt Rambis
The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics rivalry dates back to the 1960s and has been one of the most iconic rivalries in all of sports. The Celtics and Lakers were responsible for 3 out of 4 championships from 1980 through 1983. Then, in 1984, the two teams met during the Magic-Bird rivalry in the NBA Finals for the first time. The series was heated and a back-and-forth slugfest all the way up to Game 4. What happened next changed the course of the series and propelled the Celtics to an NBA championship.
The Celtics were trailing 76-70 with a few minutes left in Game 4 as the Lakers’ Kurt Rambis headed for a layup on a fast break. Kevin McHale of the Celtics came flying across the floor and leveled Rambis to the floor with a clothesline. Rambis erupted, ready for a fight, but teammate James Worthy pushed him to the floor once more to prevent further skirmish. This put the fight back in the Celtics, and they would win 3 out of the next 4 games to win the NBA title. Neither Rambis nor McHale were punished for the incident.
4. New York Knicks-Chicago Bulls Brawl 1994
The New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls battled during the NBA playoffs for most of the 1990s. Michael Jordan and the Bulls usually had the upper hand and went on to claim 6 NBA championships in the decade. In 1994, however, Michael Jordan was retired, and the Knicks were giving it to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals and in Game 3, tensions boiled over right in front of NBA commissioner David Stern.
The Knicks’ Derek Harper and the Bulls’ Jo Jo English would kick-start the action at the three-point line. The 2 got into it and after a brief separation of the two players, things escalated quickly. Players and coaches from both teams beelined for the action as it unfolded, and Harper and English went at it once again. The two spilled into the first few rows of Madison Square Garden with the brawl and ended up just feet in front of the NBA commissioner. Harper would be suspended for 2 games for his role in the fight and English would be suspended for one. The Knicks would go on to defeat the Bulls in 7 games in one of the only times they were able to topple the Bulls in the playoffs during the 90s.
3. Larry Bird vs. Julius Erving
Larry Bird and Julius Erving are considered to be 2 of the best small forwards to ever play the game of basketball. During the 80s, each team was often found atop the standings in the Eastern Conference and represented in the NBA Finals. In 1984, the Sixers were coming off an NBA championship and began the season 5-0. The Celtics began the same season 4-0, setting up what was sure to be a game of epic proportions. That was exactly what it became and had nothing to do with basketball.
Bird was having a magnificent night and recorded 42 points in just 30 minutes. Erving was the complete opposite, shooting just 3-13 and finishing with 6 points. Bird let Erving know that he was getting the best of him that night, antics that Erving did not take kindly to. The two met face-to-face and proceeded to grab each other by the throat. Erving landed a few punches, and all madness ensued as Sixers players and Celtics players tried to end the fight. The 2 were separated and ejected from the game promptly. Each Erving and Bird were fined $7,500, which at the time was the 2nd-highest player fine for a fight on the court in history.
2. Denver Nuggets vs. New York Knicks Brawl 2006
The Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks during the 2000s were teams headed in 2 different directions. The Nuggets had star Carmelo Anthony and were competing year after year deep into the NBA playoffs. The Knicks were in the midst of a rebuild and fielded one of the worst teams in basketball. The Nuggets came into Madison Square Garden for a normal December matchup with the Knicks and started to beat up on them handily on the court. Denver coach George Karl decided to leave his starters in while being up by 20 points with barely any time left on the clock. This triggered an angry response from the Knicks.
Nuggets guard J.R. Smith was on a fast break for a layup when Knicks reserve Mardy Collins committed a hard foul on Smith, sending him flying to the floor. Players from both teams rushed to the action with Nate Robinson taking full-on swings at Smith. Carmelo Anthony, with the Nuggets at the time, came in and delivered a smack to Collin’s face before retreating just as fast as he flew into the situation. The melee only escalated from there and referees struggled to contain the situation. Each team was fined $500,00 for the fight while Robinson and J.R. Smith received 10-games suspensions. Collins was suspended 6 games and Jared Jeffries of the Knicks was suspended 4 games. Carmelo Anthony received the harshest penalty with 15 games for his sneaky cheap shot on Collins.
1. The Malice At The Palace
There is no other choice for the No. 1 spot on our list of the biggest fights in NBA history than the 2004 brawl between the Pistons and Pacers dubbed “The Malice At The Palace”. This early season matchup between these 2 teams was supposed to be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals that season. What ensued would derail the hopes for the Pacers while the Pistons used it to rally and go on to win the NBA championship.
The massive brawl started as a simple scuffle between the Pistons” Ben Wallace and the Pacers’ Ron Artest. The two met chest to chest under the basket, which resulted in both Wallace and Artest exchanging big shoves with one another and cause both teams to separate the players. After things had cooled down, Artest decided to lie down on the scorers’ table while things cooled off. Out of nowhere, a fan threw a full cup of beer at Artest and he exploded. Artest rushed the stands and started throwing haymakers at who he thought threw the cup and was followed into the stands by Stephen Jackson, Jermaine O’Neal, and members of the Pistons. Things spilled back onto the court with O’Neal and others still laying out fans left and right.
The game was canceled, and the Palace At Auburn Hills floor was littered with debris and carnage. Artest was suspended for the rest of the season. Jackson was suspended 30 games and O’Neal was suspended 25 games. Ben Wallace of the Pistons received a 6-game suspension while others were hit with 1 game for leaving their bench. The brawl derailed any hopes for a title run in Indiana, and the Pistons would fall to the Spurs in the NBA Finals in 7 games. The brawl is still one of the biggest black eyes on the sport in its entire history.
