The1997-98 regular season was coming to a close and the Phoenix Suns were on the verge of a blowout loss to the Houston Rockets when Antonio McDyess and Hakeem Olajuwon went toe-to-toe.
The Phoenix Suns (39-20) trailed the Houston Rockets (29-30) 80-73 heading into the fourth quarter of a late season game that when completed, on the surface would not have any long-lasting implications for either team.
Phoenix was in the midst of a surprise regular season in which they would finish 56-26 and one of the hottest teams in the league (they would go 17-4 over their final 21 games) although would be disappointingly bounced from the playoffs in the first round, while the Houston Rockets were showing heavy signs of their roster’s aging and were nowhere near the Western Conference finalist they had been the year before. They too would be eliminated in the first round.
Down only seven with 12min left, no fourth quarter comeback was in the offing as Matt Bullard suddenly caught fire and Phoenix struggled to hit a single shot putting an end to an ugly mess.
But, as the minutes ticked to the inevitable, Houston’s Matt Maloney brought the ball up court and attempted to place his teammates in a familiar offensive set. It was in this seemingly innocuous possession that Hakeem Olajuwon began to struggle with Antonio McDyess for position in the post, and very aggressively tried to swing away McDyess’ hand off of Olajuwon’s back in a manner that should have been called an offensive foul twice – but wasn’t.
Suns Head coach Danny Ainge commented after that those two brazenly hostile swings should absolutely have been called on ‘The Dream’ and the lack of an initial whistle allowed Phoenix forward Antonio McDyess to confront Olajuwon escalating the moment, and who with 2:08 remaining, apparently mentioned his displeasure to the Houston superstar.
What McDyess said appears to have disappeared into history never to be shared, but whatever it was, Olajuwon took great exception and threw a mighty punch.
Miss.
McDyess reciprocated, his swing, which grazed Olajuwon’s face, also appeared to make contact with official Ron Olesiak (who should have blown the initial whistle(s)) as he attempted to separate the fighters.
The melee continued with both continuing to swing fists wildly, with McDyess the only one who managed to land a legitimate punch, to the left side of Hakeem’s face, the final contact either made on one another.
Ironically it was Houston’s aging Charles Barkley who was the primary restrainer of McDyess, and following his release at half court, immediately grabbed Danny Ainge, playfully putting him in an unbreakable headlock.
The NBA reviewed the fight and both players were suspended for one game for their role in the altercation (Hakeem was concurrently fined $10,000, or .000896% of his salary that season, and McDyess was fined $7,500, or .0026% of his salary that year).
Unfortunately in the face of future events less than a decade later, the NBA already had the rule that a player leaving the bench during a fight are subject to a one game suspension.
While no Phoenix Suns player left their bench, Houston’s Mario Elie and Kevin Willis did, both entering the fight, Elie needing to be literally dragged away by an assistant coach, while Willis made contact with Kevin Johnson, getting in between he and McDyess.
They were fined a meager $2,500 for not remaining in their seats, although not suspended.
Fortunately for the Phoenix Suns, they faced the lowly LA Clippers the following game, and even without McDyess (and Rex Chapman who was perennially out with injuries at this point in his career), Phoenix ran roughshod over their opponents at home, 134-105.
All information about the summaries of the games and records of the fights are from the Arizona Republic on March 9, and 10, 1998.