It was already shaping up to be a rough night before the game even tipped off for Sacramento and Portland. Both the teams released their injury reports, and neither team had good news. The Kings were missing four players, while the Blazers had five players out. On top of that, the ‘Beam Team’ was desperate for a win, hosting the Blazers while riding a brutal four-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers had their own struggles.

After putting together an impressive four-game winning streak, they hit a wall, dropping back-to-back games against the two best teams in the Eastern Conference. Both squads were counting on their remaining stars to step up. The stakes were high, but no one expected what would happen next.

Just as the battle was heating up, things took an ugly turn—DeMar DeRozan and Deni Avdija collided. And it wasn’t pretty!

Right after the impact, DeRozan was visibly in discomfort. According to Sacramento Kings Radio Reporter Sean Cunningham, he immediately headed to the locker room. But in a surprising turn, just minutes later, Cunningham provided an update: “DeMar DeRozan is back on the bench, tending to his nose.” The aftermath of the collision left DeRozan dealing with a bloody nose, but he was determined to stay in the game.

The situation didn’t stop there. Cunningham later added on X, “DeMar DeRozan looks to have suffered a bloody nose and as a result needed to swap out his jersey for a non-contaminated one. Also has one nostril plugged up to stop the bleeding.“

Despite this situation, the veteran forward wasn’t going to let a little blood slow him down. And it played out perfectly.

DeMar DeRozan risks another NBA fine after Blazers bust-up

The Sacramento Kings did exactly what they needed—dominate. They cruised to a 128-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, snapping their losing streak in style. Zach LaVine led the charge, dropping 29 points while shooting a scorching 72.2% from the field. Domantas Sabonis wasn’t far behind, putting up a monster double-double with 22 points, 19 rebounds, and 6 assists. And DeMar DeRozan? Well, he had a night worth talking about—for more than one reason.

Despite playing 37 minutes, DeRozan kept his impact high, finishing with 21 points and 10 assists while drawing fouls left and right—getting to the line 11 times. Meanwhile, Deni Avdija shined for the Blazers with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons added 22 and 20 points, respectively. Even Duop Reath had a standout performance, dropping a season-high 17 points. But amid all the impressive numbers, DeRozan’s bloody nose became the unexpected headline.

Now, here’s where things get tricky. While the Kings celebrated the win, there’s a chance DeRozan might get hit with a fine. The NBA rulebook is clear—if a fighting foul occurs, penalties can follow. The league states, “A fine not exceeding $50,000 and/or suspension may be imposed upon such person(s) by the Commissioner at his sole discretion.” Considering the way DeRozan’s night unfolded, he could be under league scrutiny once again.

If so, it wouldn’t be his first fine this season. On March 5, the NBA fined him $25,000 for publicly criticizing officiating after the Kings’ 116-110 loss to the Nuggets. So, will DeRozan add another fine to his season tally? Only time will tell.