The Dallas Mavericks secured a 98-89 victory over the Phoenix Suns, but the game’s spotlight shifted in the third quarter when an on-court altercation led to the ejections of Jusuf Nurkic, Naji Marshall, and P.J. Washington.
The incident unfolded after Suns center Nurkic committed an offensive foul on Washington, leaving him on the ground. When Marshall approached to help his teammate and exchanged words with Nurkic, the situation quickly escalated into a flurry of punches.
After the game, Kyrie Irving shared his thoughts on the incident via Duane Rankin, admitting he was caught off guard by the chaos. “I was a little confused,” Irving said. “It happened so quickly. Moments like that, you just want everybody to be protecting themselves. I feel like that’s what PJ was doing for Naji. Naji, after he got hit, was just protecting himself.”
Irving also jokingly suggested that the scuffle might boost the NBA‘s viewership. “It’s part of basketball sometimes. Maybe that’s just the way we end 2024, where somebody actually swings in the NBA,” he added. “Maybe that’ll help our ratings.”
Naji Marshall #13 of the Dallas Mavericks punches Jusuf Nurkic #20 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Footprint Center. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Kevin Durant voices disapproval
Unlike Irving, Suns star Kevin Durant took a more serious stance on the incident. Durant, who witnessed the fight from a distance, shared his disappointment. “I turned around at the right time,” Durant said. “I didn’t know what they were talking about… You hate to see that in this game. I understood what Dallas was thinking, their perspective.”
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Marshall takes the feud to social media
The tension didn’t end on the court. After the game, Naji Marshall appeared to mock Nurkic on social media. On his X profile (formerly Twitter), Marshall updated his banner photo to show the moment he landed a punch on Nurkic, further fueling the drama surrounding the altercation.
