Hawks & Heat Engage in Big-Time Playoff Brawl (Punches Thrown, Benches Cleared, Flagrants)

April 30, 1994 - The NBA's modern day clamp down on physical play and fisticuffs isn't without historic influence and origin. Among the chief examples of 90's basketball gone wild came during the 1994 NBA Playoffs when the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat squared off—literally—in Game 2 of their first round series.

The trouble began in the third quarter when Hawks forward Danny Manning was assessed two flagrant foul penalties. When officials opted to keep Manning in the game (rather than removing him as was typically the case for those committing multiple flagrants), tensions escalated. And when Hawks forward Duane Ferrell cashed in a tough layup through contact then taunted Grant Long moments later, all hell broke loose. The subsequent three-minute brawl featured both benches emptying, multiple fists flying (and landing), and even a broken bone or two (Heat assistant Alvin Gentry broke his right hand and finger while attempting to restrain Long).

In the end, the bench-clearing melee resulted in a trio of suspensions and led to multiple rule introductions and clarifications prior to the start of the following season. Among them, ejections following two flagrant fouls were codified as well as the still-present automatic suspension rule for any player leaving the bench area during an on-court brawl.

Suspensions stemming for the event:

Keith Askins (Heat): Three-game suspension, $15,000 fine

Doug Edwards (Hawks): Two-game suspension, $10,000 fine

Grant Long (Heat): One-game suspension, $10,000

LA Times article on the brawl and Gentry's injury: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...

1994-95's Rule Changes: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archiv...

The suspensions: https://lasvegassun.com/news/1997/may...

Box Score: https://www.basketball-reference.com/...