“You Get Fined $15,000 for Protecting Yourself??”: Massive Brawl at NBA Game Leaving Rookie With a Hefty Fine Has Heat and Raptors Fans in Shambles

The Miami Heat won their first game of the 2022-23 season with a big victory over the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors, on the other side, lost their first game of the season after a brilliant start. However, what made it to the headlines yesterday was an altercation during the game. Heat star Caleb Martin and Raptors rookie Christian Koloko engaged in a scuffle during the game, leading to an ejection for both. Now, the NBA has decided to suspend Caleb Martin for a game and has fined Koloko $15,000 for the incident. However, fans don’t seem to be happy with the punishments from the NBA.

The scuffle between the two took place in the 3rd quarter of the game. The Miami Heat, thanks to a brilliant first half, were up by 81-59 when a loose ball led to an altercation going into the stands. Teammates and officials quickly separated the two. However, the referee gave them a tech before ejecting both of them.

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On Sunday evening, the NBA announced the punishments for Martin and Koloko for their involvement in the altercation. They decided to suspend Martin for one game and handed out a $15,000 fine to Kololo for their roles in the scuffle. However, NBA fans aren’t happy with the punishment and took to social media to share their views.

NBA Twitter reacts to punishments of Caleb Martin and Christian Koloko

NBA fans seemingly didn’t like the punishments handed out to the players for the altercation. Some felt Koloko had been unfairly fined for the altercation.

Following are some of the reactions from NBA Twitter to the NBA’s decision:

Incidents like these have happened in the NBA in the past and will likely continue to happen. However, the scuffle between the Heat and the Raptors became scary as it went into the stands toward the fans. Thankfully, no fan or player came out injured from the altercation.

Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors gear up for another game at the FTX Arena

The Heat vs Raptors matchup isn’t done. The Heat had a great first half in the previous game and that helped them register their first win of the season. However, the Toronto Raptors are capable of bouncing back as they did in the 2nd half but eventually fell short by 3 points. The two teams now face each other again on Monday.

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The Heat will be without Caleb Martin, who started against the Raptors before being ejected due to the altercation. Christian Koloko will be available for selection for Nick Nurse for the game.

Can the Raptors turn in around this time? Let us know in the comments section below.