By Jon Krawczynski, Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II
Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, forward Draymond Green and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels were ejected after an altercation broke out in the first quarter of Tuesday’s game.
Just 1:43 into the game, Thompson and McDaniels got into a midcourt brawl that saw both players grab each other’s jerseys. Moments later Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert — who appeared to try to break up the altercation — was grabbed around the neck by Green before players and coaches stepped in to break it up.
Thompson, Green and McDaniels were ejected.
The Timberwolves won 104-101 over the Warriors. Minnesota improved to 8-2 while Golden State fell to 6-6.
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Rudy Gobert slams Draymond Green’s ‘clown behavior’ as he makes the best of latest spat
What exactly happened between Thompson and McDaniels?
Thompson was picking off McDaniels in the right corner on one of the first possessions of the night. As part of that, Thompson appeared to take McDaniels’ jersey. McDaniels took exception. He grabbed Thompson’s shirt and began tugging at it, which set off a strange, extended tug-of-war between the two that returned in a much bigger dust-up. Thompson’s shirt was torn. After the review, both were executed. —Anthony Slater, the Warriors beat the writer
The Warriors and T-Wolves got into a brawl in the first 1:43 of the game.
Draymond Green puts Rudy Gobert in a headlock.
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— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) November 15, 2023
What exactly happened between Green and Gobert?
As the fight between McDaniels and Thompson spilled over to the Warriors’ side of the court, Gobert came in and grabbed Thompson from behind. This brought Green into the brawl and put Gobert in a chokehold to separate him from Thompson. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards grabbed Green and Gobert and tempers continued to flare. McDaniels was particularly hot, needing to be held down by teammates while he yelled at Thompson. — Jon Krawczynski, the Timberwolves beat the writer
Is there a long-term concern for Warriors?
Potentially. I would doubt Thompson and McDaniels get extra discipline, but everyone knows the history between Green and the NBA. They also admitted, after Domantas Sabonis’ first-rounder, that they suspended Green one game in part because of his past. Presumably that will play into the equation again as they look into this incident in the coming days. If they deem Green’s headlock on Gobert excessive, he could face another suspension in the wake of two separate ejections this week. —Slater
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Warriors Observations: What went down for the Timberwolves
What losing McDaniels means for the Timberwolves
McDaniels is the Wolves’ best perimeter defender. His importance for this game has been slightly reduced with Steph Curry absent, but the Wolves will still miss the pressure he can exert on Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins. From a team perspective, the fight definitely seemed to rattle the Wolves early in the game. They struggled to calm the game early, missing shots, turning the ball over and appearing disorganized on defense, which worked in the short-handed Warriors’ favor early on. — Krawczynski
How the Warriors replace Green
Green’s famous last altercation was with his teammate. It costs him some credibility in the locker room. How will this impact his place in the locker room since he came to Thompson’s defense? Will it be seen as a positive thing? The Warriors’ start to the season was characterized by good vibes, unlike last year. Green said last year’s chemistry was bad.
Will this be a galvanizing force for the Warriors? Or does the latest incident of Green going overboard cost the Warriors?
These figures create a great opportunity for Jonathan Kuminga. With Green out, there’s 30 minutes of action available in the Warriors’ front court. The Warriors desperately need one of their young players to step up, especially since length and athleticism are known to cause problems for the Warriors.
Another potential opportunity presents itself for Trayce Jackson-Davis, the big rookie the Warriors love. Green is essentially the Warriors’ backup center. —Marcus Thompson II, senior columnist
Mandatory reading
(Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)