Draymond Green and Desmond Bane got into a confrontation during the Warriors vs. Grizzlies contest which resulted in a near-team-wide scuffle. While a fight didn’t break out,m Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was knocked to the ground as a result of the crowd of Warriors and Grizzlies personnel looking to de-escalate the situation.
Warriors and Grizzlies get chippy 😳
Draymond and Desmond Bane's confrontation led to Memphis' coach Taylor Jenkins getting knocked to the ground
(via @NBCSWarriors)pic.twitter.com/OuPnyQVXpl
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 21, 2024
The confrontation started with a rough play between Draymond and Grizzlies’ big man Santi Aldama. Fans were quick to attack Draymond for instigating an altercation against another foreign big man, as Desmond Bane stood up for his teammate. The situation nearly got out of hand but Green and Bane were seen dapping each other up later as the game resumed.
Draymond Green and Desmond Bane dap it up after the bench-clearing misunderstanding 👏pic.twitter.com/thi9xUlaAt https://t.co/MyqzECKkBR
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 21, 2024
Jenkins taking a fall was accidental and happened as a result of the crowd of players and caoches. While some reports say he was seen limping after the fall, he has continued coaching the team in what looks to be another big loss in a troubled season.
Draymond Green Reminded Us Of The Warriors-Grizzlies Rivalry
It may seem like ancient history, but it was just a season ago when the Grizzlies and Warriors had one of the most enthralling rivalries in the NBA. It was pretty intense and led to both Draymond and Stephen Curry repeatedly claiming that the two teams aren’t rivals. What happened on the court would prove otherwise.
It started in 2021 when the Grizzlies shocked the world and eliminated the Warriors from the Play-In Tournament, thus stealing their spot as the No. 8 seed in the Playoffs. The next year, the Warriors overcame a young Grizzlies squad in the second round of the playoffs before winning a championship.
That 2022 playoff series was incredibly hard-fought, as the Grizzlies could have pulled off the upset if Ja Morant hadn’t suffered an injury.
That series spawned a heated rivalry with hard fouls and press conference fire from the likes of Draymond, Klay Thompson, Jaren Jackson Jr., and more. This even birthed an iconic Draymond moment, where he was dancing with a towel in Memphis as the arena played ‘Whoop that trick’ to mock the Warriors after a game.
Dillon Brooks was an integral part of the rivalry as well, feuding with Draymond and being heavily lambasted by the four-time champion, with players like Klay Thompson also throwing shots in.
The rivalry has been dead this year, as the Grizzlies have been out of contention due to a variety of injuries that devastated their roster this season. The Warriors haven’t been a contender either, struggling to climb out of the No. 10 seed in the West. The departure of pieces like Dillon Brooks also helped cool the animosity down.
This game was a reminder of the rivalry that led to Memphis getting their first-ever Christmas game in 2022. While it seems gone right now, this altercation reminded everyone that this could be explosive if both teams were still playing competitive basketball.
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