In a heated showdown between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves, three key players—Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Jaden McDaniels—found themselves ejected in the early minutes.
The game, still scoreless and barely two minutes old, witnessed Green’s ejection after he placed Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert in a headlock.
A scuffle ensued between Thompson and McDaniels, resulting in a physical altercation that led to Thompson’s jersey being torn, and both players were subsequently tossed from the game.
The Pool Report interview, conducted by Anthony Slater of The Athletic, featured Crew Chief Tyler Ford shedding light on the decisions made during the intense matchup.
“Why did you land on the decision to eject Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels as opposed to giving them double technicals?” queried Slater.
Ford responded, “Both players were involved in an altercation that didn’t immediately dissolve, and their actions warranted an ejection.”
Further questioned about Draymond Green’s Flagrant 2 assessment, Ford explained, “He aggressively put Gobert in a headlock and refused to let go. This is unnecessary and excessive conduct, which meets the standard for a flagrant foul penalty 2.”
When asked if there was consideration for additional discipline for Rudy Gobert or others involved, Ford clarified, “Gobert was attempting to separate Thompson and McDaniels and was ruled to be a peacemaker. We reviewed all other players and acts, and no other unsportsmanlike acts were observed.”
