Starring Jordan Clarkson and Ron Holland II, tensions have flared during the Wednesday night matchup between the Utah Jazz and the Detroit Pistons.
After Pistons center Paul Reed scored a layup with 1:41 left in the third frame, he proceeded to bump Clarkson as he started running to the other side. Taunted, the Jazz veteran retaliated and bumped Reed back.
As the hyped Reed sprinted back to play defense, he had no idea that the two of Clarkson and Holland had already engaged themselves in a heated altercation, ready to blow punches of their own. This sequence led both teams’ personnel to enter the scene and end the commotion.
‘Ridiculous’ call
Upon the review taken, the officials decided to hand Clarkson and Holland a hefty punishment, slapping the two with double technicals that led to their premature exit.
As such, Reed himself earned a technical foul as well.
In the aftermath of the Pistons’ 126-119 eventual loss, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn’t hold back expressing his stern disapproval over the referees’ assessment.
“It is ridiculous,” he said. “The double-technical foul is ridiculous. If a guy hits your player first, then a technical foul should be on the player that hit your guy.
“He literally hit him with his body and what he’s supposed to do? … That’s ridiculous.”
Set for another encounter?
Clarkson had a rough night before leaving, finishing with only 3 points in 1-of-6 shooting across 14 minutes as Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, and Keyontae George carried the load for the Jazz en route to victory.
In 13 minutes, Holland tallied 4 points and 3 boards prior to the ejection.
Apparently, both Clarkson and Holland could meet again on the court as the Jazz and the Pistons still have one game left on their 2024-25 regular season series on March 3 in Salt Lake City.
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