Home History Corner Isiah Thomas punches Rick Mahorn in the head, Mahorn doesn’t flinch

Isiah Thomas punches Rick Mahorn in the head, Mahorn doesn’t flinch

Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas in action during his playing days. Photo: Twitter / NBA.com

April 19, 1990 – Less than a year after helping the Detroit Pistons earn their first NBA championship, Rick Mahorn returned to the Palace as a Philadelphia 76er and found himself in the middle of multiple skirmishes during his team’s 107-97 victory.

First, former teammate Isiah Thomas took two swipes at Mahorn’s head. Later, a Mahorn dunk would incite a full-on brawl most famously remembered for Bill Laimbeer and Charles Barkley’s fisticuffs. The resulting punishments:

Suspensions – Bill Laimbeer (1 game), Charles Barkley (1 game), Scott Hastings (1 game); Fines – Laimbeer ($20,000), Barkley ($20,000), Hastings ($10,000), Isiah Thomas ($7,500), 10 players ($500 apiece for leaving the bench), each team ($50,000 for failing to control its players), per Ryan Van Dusen:

Isiah Thomas Punches Rick Mahorn in the Head, Mahorn Doesn't Flinch
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