Draymond Green was ejected after putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock and two other players were thrown out

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, left, and Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson get into an altercation during the first half of an in-season NBA tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. They were both ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn

Draymond Green was ejected after putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock and two other players were thrown out after an altercation early in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 104-101 win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.

“Not much to say,” Gobert said. “That’s just clown behavior.”

The game was still scoreless and not even two minutes had elapsed when Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels got in a shoving match near midcourt following a Timberwolves possession. Gobert stepped in and grabbed hold of Thompson before Green rushed in and pulled Gobert away from behind with his arm around the center’s neck.

“Not much to say,” Gobert said. “That’s just clown behavior.”

Thompson’s jersey was ripped during the scuffle, which led to Green’s second ejection of the season and two free throws for Gobert.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr said McDaniels instigated the altercation and Thompson should not have been ejected.

“He’s running up the floor, and the guy grabs his jersey, and he’s pulling on him. So Klay pulls back,” Kerr said. “No way that Klay should have been ejected. That was ridiculous.”

McDaniels and Thompson initially collided after a missed Minnesota shot, when the Wolves forward was going in for the rebound. McDaniels said he was “just trying to defend myself” when Thompson grabbed at his collar.