WASHINGTON \u2014 Four players were ejected late in the second quarter of Saturday\u2019s matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Washington Wizards following the escalation of an on-court skirmish.<\/p>\n
After an initial fracas along the baseline between Thunder forward Jaylin Williams and Wizards forward Justin Champagnie, several other players joined a scrum that spread across both teams less than a minute before halftime.<\/p>\n
Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, who was nearby as the ball was set to be inbounded, got involved shortly after, exchanging words and contact with Champagnie that spilled into the rows of fans near the baseline. A portion of the pile landed on a video cameraman who was seated a few feet beyond the baseline.<\/p>\n
Wizards forward Anthony Gill and Thunder guard Cason Wallace got involved, making contact with players in the scrum.<\/p>\n
Williams and Champagnie were each assessed two technical fouls, receiving automatic ejections.<\/p>\n
Mitchell and Wallace each received a single technical and were ejected \u201cfor not acting as peacemakers and escalating the altercation,\u201d crew chief John Goble told a pool reporter after the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never seen him like that,\u201d reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said of Mitchell. \u201cBut at the same time, I\u2019m not really surprised by his reaction. He\u2019s a tough kid, tough as nails. Not only on the court, but off the court as well. He\u2019s as tough as they come, so I knew there\u2019d be no back down when he\u2019s involved in anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gill did not receive a technical foul.<\/p>\n
During the pool report, Goble was asked why Gill did not receive a penalty. Goble answered: \u201cIt was observed that Wallace pushed Gill into the altercation, and after falling to the floor, it was not observed that Gill did anything in an unsportsmanlike manner to assess a penalty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gill played a total of 26 minutes, and he scored 13 points and collected five rebounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it was unlucky,\u201d Oklahoma City center Isaiah Hartenstein said. \u201cAnytime someone, from my point of view, gets punched in the face or hooked in the face, you have to stand up for one another. I don\u2019t think all three guys should\u2019ve got ejected and only one of them (Wizards) got ejected.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, that\u2019s the refs\u2019 job to kinda make sure it doesn\u2019t get to that point. But we just have to trust the refs and kinda go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Thunder were leading 68-63 when the scuffle broke out, and the Thunder won the game 132-111.<\/p>\n
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault lingered near center court at halftime for an extended discussion about the sequence. Postgame, Daigneault said, \u201cI disagreed with their judgment after talking to them and watching it at halftime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daigneault noted that he\u2019s \u201cworked with John Goble a long time,\u201d and that they worked through the ejections before \u201cagreeing to disagree.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Washington coach Brian Keefe was asked about the scuffle, he said he did not see much of it. \u201cI just know that our guys stuck up for each other, which I always love,\u201d Keefe said.<\/p>\n
Saturday night\u2019s fracas was the third skirmish Oklahoma City has been involved in since January, when Thunder guard Lu Dort and New Orleans rookie Jeremiah Fears had a postgame altercation on Jan. 27 that resulted in the two each being fined $25,000<\/a>.<\/p>\n