September 20, 2024

Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets fans exchange blows in Game 3 in Denver

Suns in 4 #Sunsin4

Editor’s note: This article contains a video that maybe disturbing to some readers.

The closing minutes of Friday’s Game 3 in Denver turned ugly in the stands.

A fight broke out between a Phoenix Suns fan and Denver Nuggets fan that was captured on video posted on Twitter by @gabbgoudy, who said her friend at the game sent her a video of the incident.

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The video concludes with police coming onto the scene as 18.277 fans were in attendance for Game 3 at Ball Arena that ended with the Suns winning, 116-102, to take a 3-0 lead in this best-of-7 conference semifinals series.

a group of people standing in front of a crowd: Fans cheer for the Phoenix Suns during the second half of Game 3 of the team's NBA second-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, June 11, 2021, in Denver. Phoenix won 116-102. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski). © David Zalubowski, AP Fans cheer for the Phoenix Suns during the second half of Game 3 of the team’s NBA second-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, June 11, 2021, in Denver. Phoenix won 116-102. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski).

In a reply to the video post, @cpj3000 said he saw the whole incident. Based on his account, the Nuggets fans were leaving the game early and the Suns fan said “Suns in 4,” which was the chant in the fourth quarter of Game 2 in Phoenix the Suns won by 25 points.

More: Suns lock in after MVP ceremony for Nikola Jokic, limit scoring from other Nuggets

The Nuggets fan took offense to that to begin an argument that based on the video seemed to be over after the two grabbed each other and were separated, but then the Nuggets fan threw a punch at the Suns fan, who was wearing a black Steve Nash Suns jersey.

That led to the Suns fan grabbing the Nuggets fan and hitting him repeatedly with uppercuts. After surrounding fans asked the Suns fan to stop as the Nuggets fan wasn’t fighting back at this point, the Suns fans shouted, “Suns in 4!” as he held up four fingers. 

More: Phoenix Suns show their mettle by repelling every Denver Nuggets threat in Game 3

The Nuggets fan, wearing a Jamal Murray jersey, left with his friend. The video concludes with the police arriving on the scene. 

Game 4 is Sunday in Denver.

This is the latest of several fan incidents in the postseason that have mostly been between the fans and the players like a fan spitting on Trae Young at Madison Square Garden in the Atlanta-New York series and a fan dumping popcorn on Russell Westbrook’s head as he was leaving the court during the Philadelphia-Washington series.

More: Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets Game 4 preview, odds, picks, predictions: Who wins?

More: Phoenix Suns’ 2021 NBA championship odds skyrocket after 3-0 start vs. Denver Nuggets

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets fans exchange blows in Game 3 in Denver

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