“Tussle at the Toyota Center” doesn’t quite have the same ring as “Malice at the Palace”, but here we are.
A physical altercation broke out in the second quarter of an NBA game Wednesday night between the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns.
Houston’s Steven Adams and Phoenix’s Mason Plumlee, both centers, got tangled up while fighting for a rebound under the net. The scuffle escalated as Adams lifted Plumlee off the ground, leading to both players wrestling each other to the floor.
“We just got tied up,” Plumlee said of the incident after the game. “He had been going to the boards and doing what he does, so just met him with physicality and, yeah, you all saw it.”
Referees issued double technical fouls, resulting in the ejection of both players from the game.
Status alert: Mason Plumlee, Steven Adams have been ejected Wednesday.pic.twitter.com/w1eIREmuty
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) March 13, 2025
Ejections Handed Out At Suns-Rockets Game
Plumlee left the court with a cut above his eyebrow, though he downplayed it as minor, while Adams received a standing ovation from Rockets fans.
Coaches from both teams were surprised by the ejections, viewing it as two physical players getting entangled rather than a deliberate fight.
“It looked like they threw each other down,” Houston coach Ime Udoka explained post-game. “They both fell down and whatever, got in a little wrestling match. I didn’t think they would get ejected for that.”
“It’s just two guys getting tangled up,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer agreed. “Both physical. Both contenders.”
Despite the incident, the Rockets won 111-104, led by Jalen Green’s 29 points, extending their winning streak to four games.
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Remember The Malice?
Alright, it wasn’t quite at the level of ‘Malice at the Palace’ after all, but there was definitely some malice in their faces during that tussle. Does anybody remember that fun time in NBA history?
The Malice at the Palace was a notorious brawl that erupted during an NBA game in 2004 between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
It began when Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly Metta World Peace) fouled Ben Wallace. The hard foul started a scuffle that escalated after a fan threw a drink at Artest. Artest responded by charging into the stands.
Players and fans clashed violently, with several Pacers players, including Artest and Stephen Jackson, fighting spectators, leading to a chaotic scene that spilled across the court and stands.
The aftermath saw heavy suspensions—Artest was banned for 86 games—legal consequences for players and fans, and lasting changes to NBA security and player-conduct policies.
Adams v. Plumlee didn’t quite live up to that measure of violence, but all it takes is a spark.
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