The opening quarter was barely underway when a fight broke out
Just minutes into the game, a skirmish led to the ejection of three players during the NBA clash between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Early in the game, Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels got into a jersey-tugging altercation, resulting in Thompson’s jersey being torn.
Subsequently, Warriors’ Draymond Green was ejected for wrestling Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert into a headlock.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed disbelief at the game’s start, particularly Thompson’s ejection. “It was an odd start to the match,” Kerr remarked. “Klay was just responding after his jersey got yanked. It’s absurd to eject him for that.”
This commotion happened with 1:43 left in the first quarter, as Thompson and McDaniels got caught up during a transition play.
While teammates tried to separate the duo, both players were penalized with two technical fouls each. Meanwhile, coaches intervened to pull Green away from Gobert.
Kerr commented on Green’s ejection, saying, “The bench was informing us that Rudy had grabbed Klay, which led to Draymond confronting Rudy. That’s the extent of my knowledge.”
This event marked Green’s second ejection of the season, following an earlier incident against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.
Minnesota continued their winning streak, securing their seventh consecutive victory with a close 104-101 triumph over San Francisco in the NBA’s In-Season Tournament.
This tournament, in its first year, mirrors the structure of European soccer leagues, featuring both group stages and elimination rounds.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about NBA in-season tournament brawl
What sparked the fight during the Golden State Warriors vs Minnesota Timberwolves game?
The altercation began when Klay Thompson of the Warriors and Jaden McDaniels of the Timberwolves grabbed each other’s jerseys, leading to Thompson’s jersey being ripped. This incident quickly escalated, resulting in the ejection of three players, including Warriors’ Draymond Green for putting Rudy Gobert of the Timberwolves in a headlock.
How did Warriors coach Steve Kerr react to the players’ ejections?
Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed his frustration, particularly about Klay Thompson’s ejection. He found it unreasonable as Thompson was merely responding to his jersey being pulled. Kerr also explained Draymond Green’s ejection, stating that Green reacted after hearing Rudy Gobert had grabbed Klay.
How did the fight impact the outcome of the game?
The fight did not significantly alter the game’s outcome as the Minnesota Timberwolves continued their winning streak, defeating the Golden State Warriors 104-101. This game was part of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament, a competition following a format similar to European soccer leagues, with both group stages and knockout rounds.
More about NBA in-season tournament brawl
- NBA Official Game Report
- Golden State Warriors Team Statement
- Minnesota Timberwolves Post-Game Analysis
- ESPN Coverage of Warriors vs Timberwolves
- Analysis of NBA In-Season Tournament Structure
3 comments
lol, never a dull moment in the NBA, this in-season tourny is already heating up!
these refs need to chill, it was just a lil jersey tug, no big deal. warriors still should’ve won tho
Man, what a crazy start to a game! Can’t believe they ejected Klay so quick, seems harsh…