Heat's Jimmy Butler among 4 ejected after scuffle with Pelicans - ESPN

NEW ORLEANS — Miami's Jimmy Butler was among four players ejected after a scuffle early in the fourth quarter in the Heat's 106-95 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.

«I don't think I should have gotten thrown out of the game,» Butler said, noting that he was trying to keep Pelicans forward Naji Marshall away from Kevin Love when he put his hand on Marshall's neck.

Heat reserve Thomas Bryant and two Pelicans — Marshall and Jose Alvarado — also were ejected after fisticuffs erupted with 11:19 left and Miami leading 84-81.

The scuffle began after Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson stole the ball from Butler, and Love grabbed Williamson to prevent an uncontested layup.

As Love was whistled for a foul, Williamson fell to the court and Marshall rushed in to object to the way Williamson was fouled.

«I wasn't tripping about K-Love because he actually protected me on my fall,» Williamson said. «All of a sudden I see Butler kind of lunging toward Naji, so I'm trying to get there like, 'Yo, relax, like what's going on?'»

But Williamson also said the type of intensity on display during the standoff is «hard not to love.»

«It's people competing — people riding for their teammates,» he said.

Butler suggested that Williamson flopped, adding that Williamson, «knew he shouldn't have did that.»

«Then (Marshall) came and put his hands on K-Love and that's how it all escalated,» Butler said.

Butler engaged Marshall and they briefly grabbed each other by the neck as teammates and coaches animatedly swarmed around them.

«It was just, I think, a misunderstanding of the play,» Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. «I think Zion slipped on the play when K-Love grabbed him and it looked a lot worse than what it was. And then