Three players were ejected for fighting between the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, and Kyrie Irving says it's just what the NBA needs.
Amid the NBA's notorious struggle to increase its viewership, Mavericks guard Irving joked that a little more fight might entice people to tune in.
Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic and Dallas forwards Naji Marshall and PJ Washington were ejected when players threw fists at each other during the Mavericks' 98-89 victory over the Suns.
“Maybe that's how we finish 2024, when someone really swings in the NBA,” Irving joked. 'Maybe that will help our ratings.
“I was a little confused, it happened so fast. In moments like that, I feel like people are protecting themselves. You have to put your hands up and at least turn back.
'I'll take care of your fines and throw that shit under the rug, excuse my language. “Sometimes it's part of basketball.”
Three players were ejected for fighting when the Suns played the Mavericks on Friday night.
Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic and Dallas forwards Naji Marshall and PJ Washington left the game.
Nurkic was called for an offensive foul while guarded by Daniel Gafford with 9:02 left in the third quarter before the altercation quickly escalated.
Nurkic confronted Marshall before landing an open-handed blow to the head and then Marshall responded with a punch.
Washington quickly shoved Nurkic to the ground before the teams separated.
“Just protecting each other, that's what it was,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said.
'Emotions can run high, so our guys protect each other. “We talked about it and it showed tonight.”
The referees reviewed the play before deciding that the three players would be sent off.
But Suns coach Mike Budenholzer disagreed with Irving.
“I think that level of altercation is not good for our team, it's not good for anyone individually, it's not good for our league,” he said. “I don't know all the details of what led up to that point.”
Kyrie Irving joked after the game that more fights will improve the NBA's television ratings.
There has been concern about a drift in the NBA's ratings, epitomized by the Christmas Day ratings.
Despite LeBron James defiantly claiming that Christmas belongs in the NBA, NFL games performed much better this week, helped in part by being available on Netflix.
The NFL and Nielsen said 65 million American viewers tuned in for at least one minute of one of the two NFL games on Christmas Day.
The five-game NBA lineup averaged about 5.25 million viewers per game on ABC, ESPN and their platforms, according to the league and Nielsen.
Although the NBA had the sports calendar to itself on December 25 for many years, the NFL has made Christmas one of its main events during the regular season.