Confetti! (2023):
Last night’s playoff game between the Atlanta Hawks was stopped in the middle of the first quarter because of falling confetti.
Commentator Ian Eagle regarded the situation as a “legitimate confetti issue.”
Ian Eagle went on to say “At first it looked like it was one piece of confetti and it’s multiplied like rabbits. “And it’s not stopping.”
This bizarre stoppage created a brief delay in the game which provided much amusement for fans, viewers, and even a few players.
Rudy Gobert and The Coronavirus (2020):
It’s been over three years since Rudy Gobert famously tested positive for COVID just before a regular season game between the Utah Jazz and the OKC Thunder.
This moment in history didn’t just impact the NBA, but the entirety of the United States. It was the first message to the people of the United States that the global pandemic was real.
“It’s funny that something that superficial, that it wasn’t necessarily all the deaths in NY, that it wasn’t all the deaths in Italy, it was something as superficial as a basketball game that was the wakeup call. But it was,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt.
While the players of the Utah Jazz were stuck in their locker rooms for nine hours, Chris Paul had his security guard buy beer and wine for everyone. Utah Jazz coach at the time, Quin Snyder spoke about the gesture, saying: “One of the best things all night was Chris Paul trying to get us some refreshments, which was great. That was a nice gesture.”
Donovan Mitchell revealed some more details about this night on JJ Redick’s podcast, saying: “I wouldn’t say it was panic in the locker room. It was just like, what can we do? We’re just here. And, you know, CP … thank God. Shout out to CP. He sent 15 bottles of wine that night. So we got food and wine … We got drunk, I’m not gonna lie to you. We got drunk because we’re just like so there’s definitely no game … We’re trying to drink to not be scared.” Mitchell said the drinking continued into the whole night at the hotel, “Just sitting on a curb, drinking Bud Lights, just chatting … This is the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced … It was just crazy, man. It was like just a scene out of a movie. I’ll never forget that night.”
It’s easy to say that this chaotic night was the weirdest stoppage in NBA history, and the details revealed after this night support that case very well.
Robert Williams III Bends The Rim After Dunking (2022)
After catching a lob from Jaylen Brown, Celtics center Robert Williams may have held on the rim too long.
After his forceful dunk, the rim was quite clearly leaning to the left.
It took 6 workers, 2 ladders, some chaos, and even the removal of the rim to fix the hoop.
Jaylen Brown was frustrated with the situation, saying after the game: “That has an effect on the game, That’s how injuries and stuff happen. Luckily, that didn’t [happen], but that wasn’t good. That whole process was handled poorly, in my opinion, and that had an effect as well. But luckily nobody got hurt.”
The Celtics lost the game 123-111 in Denver.
Manu Ginobili Fights A Bat (2009):
On Halloween of all days, a bat flew onto the court during a game between the San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings.
Manu Ginobili decided to swat the bat while it was in mid-air. Ginobili knocked it out of consciousness and may have very well ended it’s life. After knocking it out, Ginobili carried it off the court and handed it to a security guard. The game resumed shortly after, with a dumbfounded crowd trying to figure out what just happened.
Ginobili had to get rabies shots after hitting the bat, and even got the attention of PETA, saying: “This is a time when athletes in particular need to be on their best behavior around any animal and show that they have brains and a heart, not just reactionary brawn.”
The Ring of Fire (2008):
After the first quarter in game 1 of the playoff series between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Hornets, the Hornets’ entertainment team decided to throw their mascot Hugo into a ring of fire.
Hugo successfully made it through the ring, but the staff couldn’t extinguish the fire in an orderly fashion. The foam was left all over the court, and the game was delayed around 20 minutes in order to clean the foam up.
Malice At The Palace (2004):
A game between the two top teams in the eastern conference: the Indianapolis Pacers and Detroit Pistons had one of the more eventful endings in NBA history.
With 45 seconds left, Ben Wallace and Ron Artest got into a heated exchange. The game was clearly decided, as the Pacers led 97-82, but it didn’t hold back players from pushing and shoving.
Eventually, a fan in the stands threw beer at Ron Artest’s head. Artest’s teammate Stephen Jackson followed Artest into the crowd and started fighting the fans. Artest hit the fan, and the fan (John Green) punched Artest back. Stephen Jackson punched another fan who threw a drink at Artest. Fred Jones was punched by David Wallace, Ben Wallace’s brother. Pacers players Eddie Gill and David Harrison also went into the stands. Artest returned to the court and punched another fan, who Jermaine O’Neal also hit.
This was truly the most chaotic delay in NBA history.
The Alamo Dome Water Delay (1994):
In the 1994-95 NBA season opener, the game was delayed for almost an hour after a pre-game firework show triggered all the sprinklers in the stadium.
Around 12,000 gallons of water were sprayed across the stadium in four minutes.
David Robinson recalls this bizarre moment, saying: “I do remember the water cannon night, that was almost a surreal experience. Ya know, you never expect something like that to happen…It was comical, really. You can’t help but laugh. We were all like, ‘This is crazy.”
Written by Sam Cohen.
