After the NBA didn't suspend or even fine Victor Wembanyama for blatantly elbowing Naz Reid, Draymond Green believes that the Timberwolves must respond accordingly against the Spurs.
In an interesting development, the NBA didn't issue a suspension or even a fine against Victor Wembanyama following the superstar big man's brutal elbow on Naz Reid in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
San Antonio Spurs / Schedule
In the eyes of Draymond Green, it's now up to the Timberwolves on how to settle the score and punish Wembanyama accordingly.
"I saw Mitch Johnson's press conference, I was like, 'Whoa, he took matters into his own hand?' ... But there’s intent, guys. Y’all won’t get him off, so I’mma do it. So, as I posed the question, what if the shoe was on the other foot and it was Naz Reid taking out Wemby?" the Golden State Warriors star said in the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show. "I think this situation would look totally different—there would be fines and suspensions. I’m not one to ever want to see guys get suspended because I think that is whack, but standards have been set. Fines have happened; Jaden McDaniels and [Nikola Jokic] just got fined for much less. For there, not to even be a fine, is crazy.
"I’m not for guys getting fined or suspended, but for there not to even be a fine, let alone a suspension, I think is insane. So what I would say to the Minnesota Timberwolves after watching their coach say he’s happy Naz Reid got hit with an elbow is: this is a fair game. There’s no suspension, no fines—this is a fair game. Who’s coming out there tonight or tomorrow and doing it to Wemby? Who’s going to elbow him in the face? That’s what I would be saying. Because clearly there are no fines for this act, no suspensions—maybe an ejection, fine—but you may take Wimby out the game."
Wembanyama was ejected with 8:39 left in the second quarter of the Wolves' 114-109 Sunday win.
The French center got tangled with Reiz and Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels for a rebound, but ultimately landed a right elbow to the chin and the neck of the veteran Minnesota big man.
Wembanyama was initially assessed with an offensive foul, but the officials reviewed it and subsequently ejected him with a flagrant 2 foul.
As such, Green is convinced enough that the Wolves must do the right thing following the incident.
"How the rest of this series plays out will be important because, as we talked about earlier with the Wemby elbow, it raises the intensity—it has to go up now," Green added. "So the reality is what it’s going to boil down to is, which team is going to be tougher? Which team is going to fight through the foul calls? Fight through the physicality, knowing and understanding that the referees are going to come out and try to set a tone right away in Game 5 due to the elbow and lack of suspension and what they think will be upsetting to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"And if I’m honest, it has to be the Minnesota Timberwolves. One of your guys just got whacked, leveled, and no one else did anything about it. The NBA did nothing about it. So take a page out of Mitch Johnson’s book—take matters into your own hands. Go do something about it."
The series is tied at 2-2, as the seven-game matchup shifts back to San Antonio for both the Spurs and the Wolves.
Game 5 between the two teams is set for Tuesday evening.
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