Draymond Green found himself ejected from the game after locking horns with Rudy Gobert, setting the stage for a fiery clash between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors.
The showdown unfolded in spectacular fashion during the Timberwolves’ narrow 104-101 victory on Tuesday night, leaving fans buzzing about the unexpected drama that unfolded at the onset of the game.
Gobert, unimpressed by the theatrics that unfolded, succinctly remarked, “Not much to say. That’s just clown behavior.”
The intensity erupted barely two minutes into the game when Klay Thompson of the Warriors and Jaden McDaniels of the Timberwolves engaged in a heated shoving match near midcourt, sparking an altercation that would leave its mark on the game.
The catalyst for the skirmish, McDaniels and Thompson collided after a missed shot from the Timberwolves, igniting a chain of events that would see Thompson’s jersey torn in the ensuing scuffle.
Golden State’s head coach, Steve Kerr, vehemently contested Thompson’s ejection, laying the blame on McDaniels, asserting, “He’s running up the floor and the guy grabs his jersey and he’s pulling on him. So Klay pulls back. No way that Klay should have been ejected. That was ridiculous.”
McDaniels maintained his innocence, stating, “I was just trying to defend myself,” emphasizing that what seemed like banter escalated into a full-blown confrontation. Despite the early tension between the teams, McDaniels admitted he hadn’t anticipated the situation reaching such a boiling point. “There was some chitter-chatter going back and forth, but I wasn’t taking it seriously. I was laughing. And then I guess it was just a bigger deal to him.”
Remarkably, both Thompson and Green remained tight-lipped in the aftermath of the game, leaving their thoughts on the incident shrouded in mystery.
As the fracas unfolded, Gobert, playing the role of a peacemaker, entered the fray to “de-escalate the situation.”
When Green seized Gobert, the towering center raised his hands in a symbolic gesture, signaling his reluctance to exacerbate the already tense situation. Gobert reflected on the incident, stating, “My first thought was just, ‘I’m not going to fight. I need to be in this game to help my team.’ It wasn’t a good enough choke to put me to sleep.”
Crew chief Tyler Ford clarified that Gobert’s involvement as a “peacemaker” spared him from ejection, a decision validated by Minnesota coach Chris Finch, who commended the officials for swiftly regaining control of the game.
Despite the physical nature of the matchup, Finch remarked, “The game was very physical, but it wasn’t a very dangerous and out-of-control game.”
In the aftermath of the scuffle, Gobert expressed confidence that the NBA would address Green’s actions, anticipating repercussions for the Warriors’ enigmatic forward. “I do hope that the league is going to do what needs to be done,” Gobert said.
