Image Source: X
[Saba Sports News] Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall was ejected on Friday night after a heated brawl with the Phoenix Suns escalated into punches being thrown.
The altercation began midway through the third quarter when Suns center Jusuf Nurkic was called for an offensive foul while posting up Daniel Gafford. As Nurkic turned to walk away, an exchange of words with Marshall quickly escalated. Nurkic shoved Marshall in the face, prompting a retaliatory swing from Marshall. The scuffle left even Kyrie Irving visibly stunned.
Amid the chaos, Mavs forward PJ Washington added fuel to the fire by shoving Nurkic to the ground before officials managed to restore order. Dallas ultimately secured a 98-89 win, but the drama didn’t end there.
After the game, Marshall updated his profile on X (formerly Twitter) with a photo of himself throwing the punch at Nurkic, juxtaposed with his bio that reads, “God first.” Fans were quick to note the irony.
“God first,” one user joked. “Left and rights second.”
Critics also pointed out that Marshall’s punch appeared to miss its mark, which might explain his choice of photo—a well-timed shot where he looks like he connected. Regardless, many questioned whether this was the message Marshall wanted to send. It’s safe to say it’s not the lesson anyone expects from “God first.”