Chapter 191: Showdown.
What transpired on the court left many of the spectators, especially the celebrities sitting courtside, absolutely stunned.
Take Chris Paul, for example. His first reaction was relief—thankful that the Grizzlies hadn't pulled this stunt during their games against the Lakers; otherwise, he'd surely be taking a few hits himself.
Of course, plenty of others were actually thrilled by it.
Like Carmelo Anthony, who could barely sit still. To him, throwing punches on the Finals stage, securing a place in history, was more exhilarating than winning a championship.
Even Jackie Chan was there, bouncing his leg restlessly, eyeing the empty chairs nearby like he was tempted to perform one of his signature moves.
The arena was roaring with mixed reactions—boos, jeers, and fists pumping in the air. After all, it had been a while since fans had witnessed a real courtside scuffle, especially in the Finals. The stakes were sky-high.
Given that this was a crucial Finals game, the arena wasn't just packed with fans and athletes, but also with league officials.
Pat Riley of the Heat and Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace were both present, as well as league commissioner David Stern and deputy commissioner Adam Silver.
Stern had clearly shown up to keep an eye on things, to prevent any 'unforeseen events.' But now, something unforeseen had definitely happened—way beyond what he had anticipated.
For years, Stern had come down hard on violent incidents, taming the players to a point where he could confidently control the league.
Back in the day, with players' tempers, the refs wouldn't have made it through halftime before a full-blown fight broke out.