Gobert’s 'Clown Behavior' Postgame Jab

Following the early-game melee on November 14, 2023 at Chase Center—where Draymond Green rushed in and locked his arm around Rudy Gobert’s neck from behind before being ejected—Gobert addressed the incident with reporters. He characterized Green’s conduct in blunt terms, calling it “clown behavior,” and went further by alleging a pattern tied to Stephen Curry’s absence: “Every time Steph doesn't play, [Green] doesn't want to play without his guy Steph, so he does anything he can to get ejected” [2]. ESPN’s game report documented both the headlock and Gobert’s postgame remarks, which immediately circulated as the definitive quotes of the night for the Timberwolves perspective [2]. The comments doubled as both description and accusation—labeling the act and suggesting motive. They also added a searchable, memorable line to the feud’s lexicon, much like the prior “Insecurity is always loud” posts. Within 48 hours, the NBA suspended Green five games for “forcibly grabbing” Gobert around the neck, with the league specifically citing Green’s prior history as a factor in the length of the ban [1].

Gobert’s postgame comments provided the clearest on-record framing from his side of the feud after the first physical escalation. By branding the act as “clown behavior” and proposing a Curry-related motive, Gobert shaped public interpretation of the altercation beyond slow-motion replays, adding intent and pattern to the discussion [2]. The remarks also balanced prior chapters in which Green set the tone with tweets and TV quips, ensuring that the most serious episode to date featured Gobert’s voice front and center in the narrative record [2][1].

Two days later, the NBA handed down a five-game suspension to Green, citing the neck grab as “unsportsmanlike and dangerous” and referencing his prior unsportsmanlike acts [1]. On November 26, Green addressed the incident publicly, saying he had no regrets and that he would always defend a teammate: “I’ll come to a teammate’s defense any time that I’m in a position to come to a teammate’s defense” [3]. One month later, after Green received a separate indefinite suspension for striking Jusuf Nurkić, Gobert adopted a softer tone, saying, “I have empathy for him... you see somebody that's not well inside and suffering” while supporting player-safety steps [8].