After their Friday evening combat, the NBA did not wait lengthy to punish Mavericks guard Naji Marshall and Suns heart Jusuf Nurkic.
The league suspended Nurkic for 3 video games and Marshall 4 video games for his or her roles in Friday’s ugly scene.
The 2 gamers jawed forwards and backwards throughout a stoppage within the recreation earlier than Jurkic slapped Marshall throughout the aspect of his head with an open proper palm.
Marshall retaliated by throwing a punch at Nurkic.
Mavs ahead PJ Washington was additionally ejected throughout Friday’s recreation for shoving Nurkic and obtained a one-game suspension from the league.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania shared an excerpt from the NBA’s announcement of the punishments that exposed why Marshall obtained the harshest penalty.
“Following the on-court incident, Marshall tried to additional have interaction Nurkic in a hostile method within the hall outdoors the locker rooms,” the NBA wrote.
The Mavericks (20-11, fourth in Western Convention) gained the sport, 98-89, handing the Suns (15-15, tenth in Western Convention) their seventh loss of their final 10 video games.
The suspensions could possibly be vital for each groups. Nurkic leads the Suns in rebounds (9.5 per recreation). He ranks second in total rebound rate (22%), solely trailing Knicks heart Karl-Anthony Cities (22.8%).
Phoenix has struggled rebounding as a staff this season, rating twenty fifth in rebounds per recreation (42.7).
Marshall’s loss will take a look at the Mavericks’ front-court depth. Dallas introduced earlier this week that 2023-23 scoring champion level guard Luka Doncic suffered a calf pressure on Christmas Day in opposition to the Timberwolves and shall be re-evaluated in a month.
This season, Marshall has appeared in 26 video games (eight begins) and is averaging a career-high 10.9 factors per recreation whereas taking pictures 52.8%, which can also be the perfect of his five-year NBA profession.
The Mavericks will want massive performances from veterans Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson over their subsequent 4 video games to maintain from dropping floor within the West.
Dallas performs three of its subsequent 4 video games on the street, together with New Yr’s Day in opposition to the Southwest Division rival Rockets (21-10, third in Western Convention). Its one dwelling recreation throughout the stretch is in opposition to the Cavaliers (27-4, first in Jap Convention), who’ve the league’s finest document.
