These days, it's not terribly uncommon to see two NBA players get into a fight in the middle of a game. Hell, just last week, Blake Griffin nearly got into a fistfight with Trevor Booker…during a preseason game! But back in the 1960s, fights didn't happen very often.
For years now, though, there have been stories and legends going around about the time that Knicks center Willis Reed tried to take on the entire Lakers lineup on his own. As Deadspin just pointed out, the New York Times even wrote about the fight that took place during a game back in October 1966. But unfortunately, very few people had actually seen the fight since the video of it wasn't released publicly.
That changed last night during ESPN's premiere of their new 30 For 30 documentary When the Garden Was Eden. Director Michael Rapaport got his hands on the old footage of Reed going ballistic during a game against the Lakers and included it in his 30 For 30 for all to see. And it was worth the wait. After Reed and Lakers forward Rudy LaRusso get into it and LaRusso takes a swing at Reed, Reed responds by throwing punches at both him and several of his teammates, including centers Darrall Imhoff and John Block. It looks like a wild scene and ends with a few Lakers players suffering broken jaws and noses.
Watch the clip above. Can you believe that the NBA only fined Reed and LaRusso a reported $50—yes, $50!—for their role in the fight?! Welp. Somewhere, Metta World Peace is shaking his head.
[via Deadspin]
