Draymond Green ejected for choking Rudy Gobert during Timberwolves-Warriors brawl
Title: Brawl Erupts in NBA In-Season Tournament Game – Green, Thompson Ejected
In a highly anticipated in-season tournament game, tensions escalated quickly as a brawl unfolded between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The incident resulted in the ejection of Warriors’ Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, along with the Wolves’ Jaden McDaniels, within the first two minutes of the game.
The brawl commenced when Thompson and McDaniels found themselves engaged in a heated exchange, pushing and shoving each other. Soon after, Green joined the fray by putting a headlock on Wolves’ center Rudy Gobert. This act of aggression did not go unnoticed by the officials, as Green was handed a flagrant 2 foul and subsequently ejected. Thompson and McDaniels received double technicals for their participation in the altercation.
For Green, this marked the 18th ejection of his career, establishing his position as the active NBA player with the most ejections. The repercussions for his involvement in the brawl could extend beyond just the night’s event, as he may face a suspension from future games.
Despite these dramatic turn of events, the Timberwolves managed to secure a narrow 104-101 victory, pushing their in-season tournament standings to an impressive 2-0. On the other hand, the Warriors suffered their first defeat, bringing their record to 1-1.
Crew chief Tyler Ford shed light on the ejection, explaining that Green’s actions in aggressively placing Gobert in a headlock and refusing to release it were deemed unnecessary and excessive conduct, leading to his expulsion from the game.
As expected, both teams had contrasting perspectives on the altercation. McDaniels defended himself, claiming that his actions were in self-defense, while Warriors head coach Steve Kerr came to Thompson’s defense, supporting his ejection.
This incident also revealed the underlying history between Green and Gobert, who had previously exchanged remarks on social media. It appears that the tension between these two players manifested itself on the court, resulting in the unfortunate brawl.
The Warriors faced an additional setback, as they were already without their star player Stephen Curry, who had been sidelined due to knee soreness. Losing both Thompson and Green in the early stages of the game undoubtedly put the Warriors at a disadvantage.
As the league investigates the incident further, fans can only speculate on the potential consequences and suspensions that await those involved. Nevertheless, this unexpected brawl has undoubtedly added another pulsating chapter to the ongoing NBA in-season tournament.
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