NBA suspends Heat’s Martin, Jovic 1 game for brawl in Raptors win
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The fight between Caleb Martin and Christian Koloko will prevent him from participating in the Miami-Toronto rematch on Monday night.
Martin was suspended for one game by the NBA, after the league determined he was the instigator of a fight with Koloko that spilled into the base seats near the Miami bench during a game Heat-Raptors Saturday.
Also suspended is Heat rookie Nikola Jovic, who came off the bench during the incident. Koloko was fined US$15,000 for grabbing Martin during the altercation.
The league handed down the penalties Sunday night. Martin and Jovic will miss Monday’s Raptors-Heat game. Martin and Koloko were both whistled for technical fouls and sent off from Saturday’s game.
WATCH l Ejections handed to Koloko, Martin after fight:
Toronto rookie Christian Koloko and Miami forward Caleb Martin were ejected from the game after their fight spilled out into the stands.
« Overall, I need to be more professional in how I handle these types of situations, » Martin said Saturday night after Miami held on for a 112-109 win.
Jovic hasn’t even made his NBA regular season debut yet. Martin will lose around $44,700 in salary for his suspension, Jovic around $15,500.
Koloko wasn’t sure why all this had happened.
« I was as confused as you are, » Koloko said. « I have no idea. … I don’t even know him, so I don’t know what was going on in his head. »
Jovic stood near the end of the Heat’s bench, not far from where Martin and Koloko were tangled, but he was still found guilty of violating the NBA rule that all players not participate playing must remain in close proximity to their bench during an altercation.
Security personnel from both teams rushed to the scene in an attempt to break things up, as did nearly every other player who was on the field at the time, at least two Heat assistants and the Raptors coach Nick Nurse – whose bench was across the court.
« Christian will be fine, » Nurse said.
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