SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were ejected from the Warriors’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night following a heated altercation with Jaden McDaniels.
Thompson and McDaniels got into a shoving match two minutes after tip-off when Thompson put a hand on McDaniels on a Minnesota miss and McDaniels fired back by pulling on Thompson’s jersey, ripping it.
“There’s no way Klay Thompson should have been thrown out of the game,” coach Steve Kerr said after Golden State’s 104-101 loss. “He’s running up the floor and the guy grabs his jersey and he’s pulling on him and he’s pulling back. There’s no way Klay should have been ejected, that’s ridiculous.”
Both teams came into separate the two. That’s when Green entered the fray and grabbed Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and put him in a headlock, pulling him away from the scrum. Green was issued a Flagrant 2 foul and Thompson and McDaniels were issued technical fouls, all were ejected.
“If you watch the replay, Rudy had his hands on Klay’s neck and that’s why Draymond went after Rudy,” Kerr said.
In a pool report, officials said Gobert was not punished because he was acting as a “peacemaker” separating Thompson and McDaniels and that Green was aggressive.
“He aggressively put Gobert in a headlock and refuses to let go,” Crew Chief Tyler Ford said. “This is unnecessary and excessive conduct which meets the standard for a flagrant foul penalty 2.”
Green and Thompson weren’t available after the game for comment, but Gobert ripped into Green after the game.
“It’s kind of funny because before the game, I was telling myself that Steph is not playing, so I know Draymond is going to try and get ejected,” Gobert told reporters. “Because every time Steph doesn’t play, he doesn’t want to play — it’s his guy Steph. He’ll do anything he can to get ejected.”
This is Green’s second ejection of the year, his first coming in the Warriors’ loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on double technical fouls.
Already without Steph Curry due to a knee injury, the Warriors played on without their Big 3. Tuesday’s game is the Warriors’ second in-season tournament game and first on their home court.
The Warriors and Timberwolves got chippy just two minutes into their in-season tournament game 😳
Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels were all ejected. pic.twitter.com/m7UvULewa2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 15, 2023
