San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul after he elbowed Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
After the game, Spurs head coach Mitch Jonhson shockingly said that he was happy Wembanyama took matters into his own hands if the game officials were going to allow Minnesota to be physical with him.
“Just the amount of physicality that people play with him, at some level, you have to protect yourself,” Johnson said after the loss, which evened the series at 2-2, per ESPN. “Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on you. He’s gotten pushed down in transition, running freely.
“We don’t complain because we’re just going to play. We don’t really give a s—. But at some stage, he should be protected. If not, he’s going to have to protect himself, and unfortunately, stuff like that happens.
“It’s starting to get disgusting in terms of when he tries to fight through things, be professional and mature, and deal with some of that stuff. I’m glad he took matters into his own hands.”
Ultimately, the WNBA elected not to punish Wemby further, to the surprise of many, including Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green. On Monday’s episode of the Draymond Green Show podcast, Green made it clear he feels the Wolves should retaliate in Game 5.
“What if it was the shoe was on the other foot and it was Nas Reid taking out Wemby?” Green posited. “I think this situation would look totally different. There would be fines, there would be suspensions.”
“I would say to the Minnesota Timberwolves, hey guys, This is fair game. There’s no suspension, there’s no fines,” Green added. This is fair game. Who coming out there tonight or tomorrow night and doing it to Wimby? Who’s gonna elbow him in the face?
“That’s what, that’s what I would be saying.”
Green feels that if Minnesota doesn’t set the tone, it will “lose the war.”
“Mitch Johnson reaction was crazy. To see those reactions, you got to get your get back. If nobody’s coming back at those guys, going back at Wemby, you lose the war.”
The officials will almost certainly call Game 5 as tightly as possible to avoid any escalations from here.
The post ‘You got to get your get back’: Draymond Green calls for Timberwolves to retaliate against Victor Wembanyama appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
