What Happened Between OG Anunoby and Dorian Finney-Smith? Details as Brawl Breaks Out at NBA Cup New York Derby

The balance of power doesn’t matter when it’s a city rivalry. Add the intensity of the NBA Cup, and it becomes an occasion. The New York rivalry, a game between the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets turned hostile. During a potential fourth-quarter resilience from the Cam Thomas-powered Nets, the thick atmosphere broke out into a brawl between OG Anunoby and Dorian Finney-Smith.

Thomas, who is leading Brooklyn’s counter through his sizzling scoring, tried to get free. Veteran Finney-Smith set a compact screen. Anunoby, an energizing defender tried to fight through. However, his force in doing so wasn’t appreciated by Finney-Smith. He responded with a hard push on the Knicks forward.

Instantly, all hell broke loose and the respective teams’ benches emptied to separate the two from escalating the situation. Understandably, OG Anunoby took offense to the Nets forward’s aggravated reaction. It led to both the players being assessed technical fouls for their violent conduct.

The intensity wasn’t always as heightened at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks, without hot scorer Karl-Anthony Towns had a comfortable lead for three quarters. A quick flurry from the Nets to begin the fourth changed the tempo and gave momentum to the Brooklyn Nets. Likewise, the game went down to the wire.

The test of patience and poise could only provide one winner.