MADRID — A EuroLeague basketball game between Real Madrid and Partizan Belgrade was suspended with less than two minutes left after a brawl between players from both teams.
Madrid was losing 95-80 at home — and about to go down 2-0 in their playoff series — when a hard foul by Madrid guard Sergio Llull on American forward Kevin Punter upset Partizan players and led to the benches being cleared.
Punches were thrown, and two former NBA players — Madrid’s Guerschon Yabusele and Partizan’s Dante Exum — were at the center of the action. The 6-foot-8 Yabusele slammed Exum to the ground in the Spanish capital. Exum was later seen leaving the court with a heavy limp and the assistance of team personnel.
“The tendon in his second toe has ruptured,” Partizan’s doctor, Moma Jakovljevic, told reporters. “It’s a serious injury. He will have to use crutches to travel back to Belgrade, and we will have more tests there. His upper lip was also injured.”
Officials spent several minutes watching replays before deciding to call the game off with 1 minute, 40 seconds left. EuroLeague’s website said the victory was awarded to Partizan Belgrade.
“This is in the hands of the officials and in the hands of the EuroLeague,” said Partizan coach Zeljko Obradovic, who previously coached Madrid. “I believe that what happened is not good for the image of basketball, not good for the image of Real Madrid nor for Partizan. This should never happen.”
The third game of the best-of-five series is scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Belgrade. Partizan won the first game in Madrid 89-87.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.