The matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday got a little heated after Devin Booker and Gorgui Dieng were ejected and promised each other to continue their argument elsewhere.
In the third quarter of the Timberwolves' 118-91 win in Phoenix, Dieng caught Booker in the face with an elbow after a Suns turnover, much to the latter's annoyance. The two then confronted each other during the dead ball reset, when Booker put his hand on Dieng's face after the Senegalese seemed to utter words in his direction.
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Which one is worse, Booker getting ejected or Gorgui Deng...😠 pic.twitter.com/mW5Npyl012
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) January 23, 2019
Booker then appeared to shove the Timberwolves' big man away, prompting him to stagger back somewhat theatrically. With the situation dangerously close to boiling point, teammates and referees intervened to separate the two. However, officials had clearly seen enough and ejected both players after assessing them with double technical fouls.
Any hope that would defuse the altercation, however, was short-lived as Dieng seemingly challenged Booker to meet him in the tunnel. The Suns' guard was only too happy to oblige and had to be held back by a security guard as he was running off the court, presumably to ensure Dieng did not have to wait too long.
Devin Booker wants all the smoke with Gorgui Dieng 🤭 pic.twitter.com/ihNcsL1pdv
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) January 23, 2019
"He talked to me, I talked to him back," Dieng was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. "I think he tried to hit me. Everybody could see I didn't throw a punch. In this league a lot of guys think they are tough and they are not."
Katherine Fitzgerald, a Suns reporter for The Arizona Republic, later reported that security staff at the Talking Stick Resort Arena were on all high alert after the incident and locked both locker rooms to prevent further incidents.
It sounds like TRSA security were all on high alert, and that both locker rooms were locked to prevent anything from happening. Awhile later, Mikal Bridges ran in & out of the Suns locker room, so looks like it’s all calmed down
— katherine fitzgerald 🌵🗞 (@kfitz134) January 23, 2019
On the court, Booker finished with 14 points, four assists and three rebounds, while Dieng had three rebounds and zero points in five minutes of action.
The 27-point blowout stretched the Suns' losing streak to five games, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the Western Conference with an 11-38 record. Aside from the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Suns have the worst winning percentage of any team in the league.
Minnesota, meanwhile, improved to 23-24 after picking a second consecutive win but remain two games behind the Los Angeles Clippers, who currently occupy the last playoff berth in the Western Conference.
Karl-Anthony Towns top-scored for the Timberwolves, finishing with 25 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists, while rookie guard Josh Okogie scored a career-high 21 points.
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Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more
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