Warriors, Timberwolves fight involves 3 ejections, Draymond Green chokehold on Rudy Gobert

By Jon Krawczynski, Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, ahead Draymond Green and Minnesota Timberwolves ahead Jaden McDaniels have been ejected after an altercation broke out within the first quarter of Tuesday’s sport.

Just 1:43 into the matchup, Thompson and McDaniels obtained right into a scuffle at midcourt that noticed each gamers grabbing one another’s jersey. Moments later Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert — who appeared to aim to interrupt up the altercation — was grabbed across the neck by Green earlier than gamers and coaches stepped in to interrupt it up.

Thompson, Green and McDaniels have been despatched off.

The Timberwolves gained 104-101 over the Warriors. Minnesota improved to 8-2 whereas Golden State fell to 6-6.

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What precisely occurred between Thompson and McDaniels?

Thompson was boxing out McDaniels in the best nook on one of many night time’s first possessions. As a part of it, Thompson appeared to seize McDaniels’ jersey. McDaniels took exception. He grabbed Thompson’s jersey and commenced to yank it, which sparked a wierd and prolonged tug of struggle between the 2 that devolved right into a a lot bigger mud up. Thompson’s jersey was ripped. After the evaluation, each have been ejected. — Anthony Slater, Warriors beat author

The Warriors and T-Wolves obtained right into a scuffle within the first 1:43 of play.

Draymond Green put Rudy Gobert in a headlock.

🎥 @NBCSWarriors pic.twitter.com/p3yzj8Mvip

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) November 15, 2023

What precisely occurred between Green and Gobert?

As the confrontation between McDaniels and Thompson spilled onto the Warriors facet of the courtroom, Gobert got here in and grabbed Thompson from behind. That introduced Green into the fracas, and he put Gobert in a chokehold to drag him off of Thompson. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards grabbed Green and Gobert, and tempers continued to flare. McDaniels was significantly heated, needing to be restrained by teammates as he hollered at Thompson. — Jon Krawczynski, Timberwolves beat author

Is there a longer-term concern for Warriors?

Potentially. I’d doubt Thompson and McDaniels get any further self-discipline, however everybody is aware of the historical past between Green and the NBA. They even admitted after the primary spherical stomp of Domantas Sabonis that they suspended Green a sport partially due to his previous. That’ll presumably play into the equation once more as they evaluation this incident within the coming days. If they deem Green’s headlock of Gobert extreme, he might be dealing with one other suspension on the heels of two separate ejections this week. — Slater

What dropping McDaniels means for Timberwolves

McDaniels is the Wolves’ greatest perimeter defender. His significance for this sport was decreased barely with Steph Curry sitting out, however the Wolves nonetheless will miss the stress he can put on Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins. From a group perspective, the fight undoubtedly appeared to rattle the Wolves early within the sport. They struggled at first to calm the sport down, lacking pictures, turning the ball over and looking out disorganized on protection, which performed into the short-handed Warriors’ palms within the early going. — Krawczynski

How the Warriors change Green

Green’s well-known final altercation was together with his personal teammate. It price him some credibility within the locker room. How will this affect his place within the locker room since he got here to the protection of Thompson? Will or not it’s seen as a very good factor? The Warriors’ early season begin has been characterised by the great vibes, which have been opposite to final 12 months. Green stated the chemistry final 12 months was terrible.

Will this be a galvanizing pressure for the Warriors? Or the newest incident the place Green going overboard prices the Warriors?

This figures to create a giant alternative for Jonathan Kuminga. With Green out, that’s half-hour of motion obtainable on the Warriors’ entrance courtroom. The Warriors desperately want considered one of their younger gamers to take a leap, particularly as size and athleticism have been recognized to trigger the Warriors issues.

Another potential alternative arises for Trayce Jackson-Davis, the rookie large the Warriors love. Green is actually the Warriors’ back-up heart. — Marcus Thompson II, senior columnist

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(Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)