Warriors–Wolves Altercation: Headlock on Gobert

On November 14, 2023, with 10:20 remaining in the first quarter at Chase Center, a possession without a made basket quickly devolved into a scrum. Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels tangled near midcourt, tugging at jerseys as teammates and officials converged. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert reached in and put his hands on Thompson in an apparent attempt to separate players. From behind, Warriors forward Draymond Green sprinted in, wrapped his arm around Gobert’s neck, and pulled him backward in a headlock that lasted several seconds as personnel tried to break it up [2]. Referees assessed penalties that led to the ejections of Green, Thompson, and McDaniels less than two minutes into the game; Stephen Curry was inactive that night, a detail Gobert later referenced [2]. Postgame, Gobert told reporters, "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," and labeled the conduct "clown behavior" [2]. The scene immediately became the freshest and most serious chapter in a feud that had previously played out via tweets and TV lines. Video replays circulated widely, and debate centered on intent and the appropriateness of Green’s action in the context of coming to a teammate’s defense versus escalating the altercation [2].

This was the feud’s defining on-court escalation, transforming a years-long exchange of words into a physical flashpoint with disciplinary consequences. The act—grabbing Gobert around the neck from behind—triggered ejections that impacted the game and, two days later, a league suspension that acknowledged Green’s past conduct as an aggravating factor [2][1]. Gobert’s immediate “clown behavior” line and his jab about Curry’s absence added narrative fuel, casting the incident as part of a pattern rather than an isolated overreaction [2]. The event became the anchor moment by which earlier social media barbs and later statements—Green’s no-regrets defense of Klay Thompson—would be interpreted [3].

On November 16, 2023, the NBA suspended Green five games without pay for “escalating an on-court altercation” and “forcibly grabbing Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert around the neck in an unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner,” noting that "The length of the suspension is based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts" [1]. Green later said, "I don't live my life with regrets... I'll come to a teammate's defense any time that I'm in a position to come to a teammate's defense" (November 26, 2023), framing the headlock as protection of Klay Thompson [3]. Gobert’s postgame stance—calling the conduct "clown behavior" and alleging Green seeks ejections when Curry sits—remained a talking point as clips and commentary circulated [2]. The incident firmly situated the Green–Gobert feud within league discipline and team availability, rather than just social-media sparring [2][1][3].