MAHORN SUSPENDED; OAKLEY, COLLINS FINED
By Bob Sakamoto
Chicago Tribune • January 19, 1988
The National Basketball Association handed down penalties for participants in the fight that marred the Bulls` 115-99 victory over Detroit Saturday night at the Stadium.
Detroit power forward Rick Mahorn was fined $5,000 and suspended for the Pistons` game Monday at Denver. Bulls power forward Charles Oakley was fined $2,000 and coach Doug Collins $1,500. In addition, Bulls Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and Granville Waiters and Pistons John Salley and Vinnie Johnson were each fined $500 for leaving the bench.
The brawl in the third quarter was ignited by Mahorn grabbing Michael Jordan around the waist and throwing him to the court. Oakley immediately went after Mahorn. Their skirmish drifted into the Bulls` bench, where Collins put a headlock on Mahorn. Mahorn flung Collins into the press table and when Collins rejoined the fray, Mahorn punched him. Mahorn and Oakley were ejected from the game.
''The Board of Governors adopted a resolution in October making it clear that flagrant fouls in half-court play will not be tolerated and will be subject to the most severe penalties,'' Rod Thorn, NBA vice president of operations, said about Mahorn`s act. ''This was a blatant example of the very type of action the Board of Governors was trying to eliminate.''
He said Oakley was fined for ''escalating the incident by his actions''
and Collins for ''acting as other than a peacemaker during the altercation.'' At the Bulls` shootaround practice before Monday night`s game against Washington, Jordan offered to pay all the fines.
''I think my teammates really cared about the way I was being treated,''
Jordan said. ''Charles Oakley is a very caring person. I`m very grateful he came over and tried to take up for me.''
Oakley and Collins declined the offer.
''I told Michael it was a very nice gesture on his part, but it`s something I have to take care of,'' Collins said. ''I guess the league thought I was overzealous. I tried to grab a hold of Rick Mahorn to where he couldn`t throw any punches. But he is so big (6 feet 10 inches, 255 pounds) that it was difficult to grab onto him. I`ll pay the fine and go on.
''The big thing is I want the league to understand I don`t incite my players to fight and I don`t condone fighting. Fighting isn`t a part of basketball.''
If it does, Oakley will be ready. The 6-9, 245-pound team enforcer sent a message to the Pistons that there`s no intimidating the Bulls.
''If it didn`t get through to them, it will if they ever do it again,''
Oakley said. ''If they do something wrong, they`re going to get checked. No matter what player they mess with, somebody will retaliate. In Detroit earlier this year, Bill Laimbeer hit Scottie. I ran out and told him the next time it happens, something is going down.
''After the incident (Saturday), I knew something was going to happen. The fine will get paid and then it will be forgotten. But, you`ve got to protect yourself at all times.''
Oakley said he appreciated what Collins did.
''Doug has always said that whoever . . . Rory Sparrow, Mike Brown, John Paxson . . . if they`re in a fight, he will be right there with you,'' Oakley said. ''I saw Doug. He was there. No matter about our differences of opinion, I respect Doug. He is definitely a good person.''
Oakley said he felt Detroit did some intimidating of Atlanta during the Pistons` triumph over the Hawks in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs last season. In one game, Hawk star Dominique Wilkins was hurled to the ground, similar to the treatment Jordan received, but nothing was called. ''They tried to intimidate Atlanta when they threw Dominique to the ground,'' Oakley said. ''There should`ve been some things done to Detroit then. You`ve got to enforce against all the teams, not just the ones that are down and losing. There`s been a thing with Detroit and the Bulls ever since I`ve been in the league.''
Pippen, Grant and Waiters were fined, though they couldn`t do much about the situation.
''I came off the bench, but I really didn`t have a choice,'' Pippen said. ''The fight came right to the bench. We couldn`t just sit there. I don`t know how it would`ve looked for us to just sit there.''
WFLD-TV, Channel 32, has one wild-card telecast left and plans on showing the March 10 game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Stadium.
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