Monta Ellis and Larry Sanders Nearly Fought During Series vs Miami Heat


According to CBS Sports, while the Milwaukee Bucks were getting blasted off the floor during a first round Playoff sweep by the Miami Heat, a fight almost broke out in the locker room between Monta Ellis and Larry Sanders: “Monta Ellis and Larry Sanders nearly came to blows in the locker room after Game 3 of Milwaukee’s first-round sweep at the hands of defending champion Miami, four people with knowledge of the confrontation said. Though the players had to be separated, the dust-up didn’t get serious enough to trigger disciplinary action for either player. One source described the confrontation as ‘just words between teammates in the locker room.’ But the incident offered a glimpse into some troubling team dynamics as the Bucks navigate a critical offseason for the franchise. After the Bucks lost 104-91 to the Heat in Milwaukee on April 25, Sanders vented in the locker room and said in a fiery speech, ‘We need to start playing together as a team and stop worrying about next year,’ according to one of the people briefed on the confrontation. ‘We need to stop being selfish and start worrying about right now.’ Ellis ‘took umbrage,’ according to another person with knowledge of the situation. Correctly assuming that Sanders’ comments were directed primarily at him and backcourt mate Brandon Jennings, who both are prospective free agents, Ellis approached Sanders and squared off with him, sources said. A teammate got between the two players and separated them before the conflict became physical. Ellis was 2-for-9 with seven points and six assists in the game and became livid that Sanders implied he was playing selfishly with free agency looming this summer. Ellis can opt out of his $11 million contract for next season, and Jennings — a restricted free agent — has made no secret of his desire to explore an exit strategy from Milwaukee this summer.”