Getty
Ajay Mitchell of the Oklahoma City Thunder is pulled out of a scrum of players by teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against the Washington Wizards.
The Oklahoma City Thunder extended their winning streak to 11 games Saturday night, but the victory came with consequences after guard Ajay Mitchell was suspended following an altercation against the Washington Wizards.
Mitchell received a one-game suspension without pay for fighting and escalating the incident, the NBA announced. Sunday. James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations, handed down the discipline.
In addition to the suspension, Thunder forward Jaylin Williams was fined $50,000, while guard Cason Wallace was fined $35,000 for their roles in the altercation.
Altercation Breaks Out Late in First Half
The scuffle erupted with 27 seconds remaining in the second quarter at Capital One Arena.
Following a Wizards basket, Williams and Washington forward Justin Champagnie became entangled under the rim and began shoving after battling for position. What started as a routine contact quickly escalated into a physical confrontation.
Mitchell stepped in as tensions rose, but the situation intensified when Champagnie made contact with his face. Within seconds, multiple players joined the exchange, including Wallace, turning the moment into a multi-player scrum.
The altercation spilled into the stands behind the basket, prompting officials, coaches and arena security to intervene.
Mitchell, Williams and Wallace were all assessed technical fouls and ejected, along with Champagnie.
Daigneault Disagrees With Ejections
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after the game that he disagreed with the officials’ decision to eject three Oklahoma City players.
“I disagreed with their judgment after talking with them and watching it at halftime,” Daigneault said. “But, I’ve worked with John Goble a long time, and he worked through it with me. And we ended up agreeing to disagree, and both moved on. So, that’s all I can say about it.”
thunder-suspension-fight-wizards-nba-decision
Despite his disagreement, Daigneault indicated that the matter was handled professionally following discussions with the officiating crew.
Thunder Stay Composed Despite Losing Three Players
Even after losing three players to ejection, Oklahoma City maintained its composure and control of the game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 40 points, extending his NBA record to 63 consecutive road games with at least 20 points. The Thunder led 69-64 at halftime in a tightly contested first half that featured 11 lead changes.
Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a key moment at the end of the third quarter, knocking down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Oklahoma City a 103-96 lead heading into the fourth.
Fourth-Quarter Run Puts Game Away
The Thunder opened the fourth quarter with a decisive 15-0 run that broke the game open.
Chet Holmgren and Jared McCain led the surge, combining for all 15 points during the run. Holmgren finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while McCain added 18 points.
Isaiah Hartenstein anchored the interior with 20 rebounds, 10 assists and nine points, narrowly missing a triple-double.
Washington struggled offensively during that stretch, missing its first 10 shots of the fourth quarter and never recovering.
Mitchell Suspension Looms as Thunder Continue Road Trip
Mitchell will serve his one-game suspension on March 23 when the Thunder face the Philadelphia 76ers, as Oklahoma City continues its road trip.
His absence will test the team’s depth in the backcourt, though the Thunder have consistently shown the ability to adapt throughout their winning streak.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
More Heavy on Thunder
Loading more stories