Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks are EJECTED after scuffle in Cavs-Grizzlies matchup

Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks are EJECTED after scuffle, with Brooks catching his rival below the belt and Mitchell throwing the ball at his opponent and shoving him… as the Cavs beat the Grizzlies at home

Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks were tossed from Thursday night’s Cavs-Grizzlies matchup after a skirmish that had to be broken up by players and staff from both sides.

The drama unfolded when Brooks drove on Mitchell in the third quarter with the All-Star’s Cleveland teammate Evan Mobley forcing the Memphis wing into a miss.

Brooks ended up on the ground near Mitchell, and hit the guard below the belt before Mitchell retaliated and threw the ball at his opponent.

Mitchell then shoved Brooks – who had at this point gotten to his feet – before people from both sides intervened and Brooks was tackled by a Grizzlies staffer.  

Head ref Tony Brothers announced shortly after that the players had been ejected from the contest.

Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks had to be separated on Thursday night in Cleveland

Both players were ejected after the incident, before the Cavs went on to win

Both players were ejected after the incident, before the Cavs went on to win

Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins tries to help break the fight along with other staffers

Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins tries to help break the fight along with other staffers

Holding a five-point lead in before they lost Mitchell, the Cavs actually extended their advantage with their best player out, going on to win 128-113 against the West’s No. 2 seed.

Darius Garland ended with 32 points in the win over the Grizzlies, who were without big men Steven Adams and Jaren Jackson Jr.

It’s not the first time Brooks has been involved in an altercation of late.

The forward exchanged words with Fox Sports personality Shannon Sharpe as the Grizzlies faced the Lakers in Los Angeles, with the broadcaster having to be restrained as he got into it with Ja Morant and Steven Adams as well.  

‘It does not matter what Dillon Brooks said, or how many times he said it, me being the responsible person, me having the platform that I have, having so many people look up to me, I was wrong. I should have lowered the temperature in the arena, but I turned the temperature up and I let it get out of hand,’ Sharpe said in on-air apology afterwards.

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