Picture Credit: nba.com
In modern-era basketball games, especially in the NBA, the players avoid getting into physical brawls. Although this was a very common sight before 1990 in the league. The American league are known to be full of adrenaline, excitement and enthusiasm, this has often led players to lose their temper, be it in NFL or MLS. Not so surprisingly, the NBA is no exception.
In this article, we will take a look at the Top 5 Fights in NBA History that has led to extreme brawls between two tights-
5. Kobe Bryant vs Chris Childs (Los Angeles Lakers vs New York Knicks 2000)
These were the days when Kobe Bryant started stamping his authority on other players in the NBA and Chris Child was one of them. While LA Lakers locked horns against New York Knicks, it was the former team who were attacking in the paint, wherein Kobe Bryant was struck 2 devastating MMA punches by Chris Childs.
It was a matter of time when the 22-year-old Kobe lost his cool and rushed onto Childs to knock him, but by that time referee and officials came running in to stop Kobe. It took him, 2 referees, to cling onto Bryant to stop him from moving further.
4. Larry Bird vs Julius Erving (Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers 1984)
Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers locked horns many a time in the Eastern Conference Finals (1980, 1981 and 1982), but in 1984, things went haywire as fans had to witness a playground fight matchup on the NBA court. As Larry Bird tried to get physical with Julius earlier, he thumped him to the floor.
Minutes after this incident in a heated altercation between Julius Erving and Larry Bird, the latter was held onto his neck by 76ers Moses Malone, Erving delivered consecutive punches in the face of the Celtics’ legend.
3. Jerry Sichting vs Ralph Sampson (Boston Celtics vs Houston Rockets 1986)
Ever players want their NBA Finals to be the best and in the 80’s it in the most ruthless way. With Rockets and Celtics facing against one another, Rockets built pressure and kept scoring. Suddenly, Sichting and Sampson started throwing jabs at one another. Soon after, Dennis Johnson joined his Celtics teammate to fight against Sampson in a rather WWF contest.
2. Bill Laimbeer vs Charles Barkley (Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers 1990)
With 76ers and Pistons playing against one another in April 1990, it was the 4th quarter that witnessed the biggest team brawl to ever take place in NBA History. Bill Laimbeer was surely one of the dirtiest and most aggressive NBA players of that era, but Barkley was having none of him.
Not only did these two players had a UFC fight among them, but it was also the entire Pistons and 76ers team that decided to have a go at one another at various corners.
1. Larry Johnson vs Alonzo Mourning (New York Knicks vs Miami Heat 1998)
This has to take the number 1 spot in the Top 5 Fights in NBA History as two long-time rivals had a long-filled go at one another. Interestingly, these two were even teammates at Charlotte Hornets. But ever since they separated their ways, it was only about time since both threw jabs and punches at one another.
Firstly, New York Knicks and Miami Heat confronted each other during the semi-finals of the Eastern Conference in 1997, where the massive brawl happened. One year later, the teams met again but this time it was Eastern Conference Playoffs, where the same spectacle followed as Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning were made to be dragged apart from one another by teammates and officials together.
