Draymond Green Slapped with 5 Games Suspension After On-Court Altercation

The NBA has handed down a five-game suspension without pay to Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green for his role in escalating an on-court altercation during Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as announced by the league on Wednesday.

Green, along with Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels, was ejected from the in-season tournament game following a fight, per ESPN.

The suspension stems from Green's "forcibly grabbing" Rudy Gobert around the neck "in an unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner," according to NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars.

Dumars cited Green's history of unsportsmanlike conduct as a contributing factor in the length of the suspension.

In addition to the suspension, Green will forfeit $769,970 in salary.

This marks his fifth career suspension, with the most recent one occurring in Game 3 of last season's first-round playoffs against Sacramento, where Green stomped on the chest of Kings center Domantas Sabonis.

Notably, he was also suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

Thompson and McDaniels, along with Gobert, received fines of $25,000 each for their roles in the altercation.

The On-Court Fight

In a night fraught with tension, three players faced ejection following a heated altercation within the first two minutes of the Minnesota Timberwolves' 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors in the In-Season Tournament on Tuesday.

The scuffle unfolded between Warriors guard Klay Thompson and Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels, who engaged in a physical exchange, tugging on each other's jerseys and swinging one another around as they traversed the court, CNN reports.

The confrontation quickly escalated, drawing several players from both teams into the fray.

Amidst the chaos, Golden State forward Draymond Green forcefully entered the scene, placing T-Wolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock.

The intensity of the altercation resulted in the ejection of Thompson, McDaniels, and Green from the game.

Post-game, Gobert characterized Green's actions as clownish, underscoring the intensity and volatility of the on-court incident.

Remarkably, this marks the second time this season that Draymond Green has been ejected following his removal from the Warriors' 118-110 defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers just days prior.

Notably, the game against the Timberwolves also holds the distinction of being the first instance in 25 years where multiple players were ejected before either team scored a point, as reported by ESPN Stats and Info.

Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr's Reaction

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr criticized the ejection of Thompson, asserting that the player should not have been tossed from the game, given the circumstances, according to Fastbreak.

The Warriors, now 6-6 in their first 12 games, are grappling with a four-game losing streak. The absence of star player Steph Curry sidelined due to a knee injury, adds to their challenges.

Rookie Brandin Podziemski led the team in their recent game against the Timberwolves with 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal.

Despite the setback, the Warriors will look to regroup as they face the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Chase Center on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, Thompson, maintaining averages of 16.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, will aim to contribute to the team's resurgence.

As for Draymond Green, the suspension will see him miss multiple games, including home matchups against Oklahoma City and Houston, a road game against Phoenix, and a home NBA In-Season Tournament game against San Antonio.

He is set to become eligible to return on November 28 against Sacramento, per The Guardian.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Draymond Green headlocks Rudy Gobert after Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels fight - From Chaz NBA