Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Jaden McDaniels were all ejected less than two minutes into Tuesday night's in-season tournament matchup between the Warriors and Timberwolves. The brawl broke out after Thompson and McDaniels clashed in transition. McDaniels pulled on Thompson's jersey while the latter contested for a long rebound and the pair remained tangled up amid the ensuing breakaway. The two proceeded to start fighting, leading to a game-stopping brawl. Amid the chaos, Green was seen putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock.
After the game, a tight 104-101 Timberwolves win, Gobert appeared to make light of the situation. "Every time Steph doesn't play, [Green] doesn't want to play without his guy Steph, so he does anything he can to get ejected," Gobert told reporters. Furthermore, the French star referred to Green's actions as "clown behavior" on multiple occasions through his post-game availability. However, Warriors coach Steve Kerr defended Green. "As far as the Draymond piece of it, Rudy had his hands on Klay's neck. That's why Draymond went after Rudy."
Green Returns To Controversy
After Jordan Poole was traded to the Wizards in the offseason, and Green preached turning over a new leaf, Warriors fans were likely hopeful that the team could go a season without controversy. However, a cloud now hangs over the Bay Area. Last year, it was Green punching a teammate. This season, he's now been seen putting an opposing player in a headlock. The NBA is yet to hand down a punishment to Green and the other players who were ejected from last night's affair. However, it's likely that Green will be suspended for at least a few games.
As for the Warriors, it's yet another smudge on an already middling season. The addition of Chris Paul was widely hailed as a move that helped make the Warriors a major contender in the West. However, they are 6-6 and have lost four in a row. That comes after starting the season 5-1. Even with Curry expected to return from injury sooner rather than later, the team will now likely have to survive without the rest of their big three for a significant portion of their upcoming slate. Next up for Golden State is a doubleheader against the 7-4 Thunder.
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