Martin wanted to charge back, but suddenly felt dizzy and almost fell. Fortunately, Paul and DeAndre Jordan held him up.

The referee saw the opportunity and urged both teams back to their respective halves.

The referee went to the scorer's table to watch the replay, while Leonard and Martin received treatment from their team doctors on their respective benches.

A moment later, the Clippers brought out a stretcher and carried Martin directly from the bench, indicating a serious injury.

Leonard had stopped the bleeding, but his nose was swollen.

Although the conflict didn't last long, the result was quite brutal, marking one of the most heated incidents in Spurs history.

After repeatedly watching the replay and conferring at the scorer's table, the referee issued the final ruling.

Martin was assessed a technical foul and a Flagrant Foul 2, resulting in his ejection from the game.

Tang Tian was also assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected.

The reaction from the crowd was relatively normal, considering both players who threw punches were ejected.

Martin had already been carried off on a stretcher. When Tang Tian stood up, he was met with a chorus of boos.

The Spurs teammates came over to talk to Tang Tian.

Even though Tang Tian was ejected, they felt he did the right thing by sticking up for his teammate.

Leonard's nose was badly swollen, and he also needed to get medical attention. He and Tang Tian walked out of the locker room together.

The boos from the crowd intensified, with fans on both sides of the hallway jeering at them.

Tang Tian remained calm, and even wanted to laugh at the sight of the booing fans.

Were they trying to boo him until he had to pee?

The two entered the tunnel, and Leonard and the team doctor prepared to go to the hospital for examination.

"I'm sorry, Tang, I caused you to be ejected."

Leonard said apologetically. He had only recently become friends with Tang Tian, and now Tang Tian was ejected because of him in just their second game together.

"No, no, there's nothing to be sorry about. I charged out there myself. It's not like you pushed me."

Tang Tian smiled and patted Leonard on the shoulder.

Actually, he was feeling pretty good at the moment. He'd never been in a fight before, not even in the NCAA. Now that he'd thrown that punch… it felt so good!

Besides, Leonard had already suffered so much, even feeling abandoned by the world. As his teammate and friend, he had to do something.

"Thank you."

Leonard looked at Tang Tian with gratitude.

Tang Tian's Easter gift had made him feel cared for, and Tang Tian's punch had made him feel the warmth of the world again.

Tang Tian patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to get his examination.

After Leonard and the team doctor left, he returned to the locker room and turned on the small TV to watch the broadcast.

The locker room at the Staples Center was very luxurious, even the visiting team's locker room had a TV. He lay on the sofa and continued to watch the game.

With Tang Tian and Leonard out, the Spurs' defense on the wings was significantly weakened.

However, because they had played the bizarre lineup for a considerable amount of time, Duncan and Parker were full of energy when they returned to the court.

More importantly, Martin's punch ignited the fire in this old Spurs team.

On the Clippers' side, after Martin was punched out of the game by Tang Tian, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, the team's core players, noticeably played with more restraint.

The Spurs led the Clippers 65-55 at halftime, maintained their lead in the second half, and ultimately won the game 121-114.

The old "Stone Buddha" had a rare outburst, racking up a massive double-double of 27 points and 15 rebounds. Six Spurs players scored in double figures.

After the game, the players gradually returned to the locker room. Tang Tian waited for them at the entrance and gave them each a high five.

Winning the game after the conflict was the most satisfying thing.

Of course, for the Clippers next door, it was the most frustrating thing. Their player got knocked out and they lost the game, leaving them with a bellyful of fire and nowhere to vent it.

"Tang, you should prepare to be suspended."

Danny Green pulled Tang Tian aside and said quietly.

Flagrant fouls are divided into Level 1 and Level 2. According to the rules, a Level 1 flagrant foul only results in a fine, and a Level 2 flagrant foul requires a certain number of accumulated incidents before a suspension is imposed.

Since this was Tang Tian's first Level 2 flagrant foul of the season, it would likely only result in a fine.

But it also depended on the situation. Tang Tian's punch had sent Martin to the hospital, so it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to be suspended.

Tang Tian nodded.

He was getting younger and younger, and for him, every first experience was fresh, even a suspension.

Popovich did not arrange for Tang Tian to attend the post-game press conference.

When reporters asked about the on-court conflict, his answer was very Popovich-esque.

"If this were the post-fight press conference of a boxing match, I would certainly loudly praise my player, but it's not, so there's no praise to be said, and there's no need to discuss this issue."

Popovich's answer was calm, but fans on Twitter had already exploded.

"I swear, this is definitely the most hardcore Asian I've ever seen. That's Kenyon Martin, a notorious troublemaker, and he got knocked down with one punch!"

"Never underestimate an Asian, because they might know Kung Fu, and that's not a joke."

"Speaking of which, Tang's always been a magnet for drama, the Godfather during the offseason, the entanglement with the Heat during the draft, the mohawk at the start of the season, the feud with Kevin Durant, and now this brawl with the Clippers."

"This is completely fine, right? Tang 'Never Low-Key' Tian, the Spurs rookie. ㄟ(▔,▔)ㄏ"

"Haha, that's true. But I still support Tang's actions this time. That Martin guy punched Leonard. Tang stood up for his teammate, and that's rare to see on the NBA court."

"I'm a Rockets fan. What you said reminds me of Yao and Francis from back in the day. The difference is that Francis was a frontline star in the league back then, so he had the confidence to do that. But Tang is just a rookie. Honestly, I've become a fan!"

"Haha, don't even think about it. Tang is our Spurs' treasure. You Rockets fans should focus on your Chandler Parsons."

"Speaking of which, will Tang be suspended? I saw a news report earlier that Martin seemed to have a concussion. That punch was really serious."

"A suspension is definitely inevitable, and there will be a fine too. Although I think this action was very passionate, the price he pays will be high."

"We can't control the suspension, but I'm willing to pay Tang's fine in full. I'm a local fan from San Antonio, and I mean it."

"Give me a chance, I'm Anjali Ranadive."

"I'm the Spurs' general manager, Buford. You don't need to pay, we will."

…