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Draymond Green and Victor Wembanyama clashed Friday after the Spurs star threw down a violent alley-oop over the Warriors forward, sparking a heated moment that needed teammates to intervene.
The sequence came when San Antonio ran a baseline inbound play that ended with a lob to Wembanyama, who elevated over Green, finished through contact, and ignited Frost Bank Center, per Larry Brown Sports. The highlight sent the crowd into a frenzy as Wemby stared down Green, who immediately walked toward the Spurs star. The two exchanged words until players and officials separated them.
Green stands 6-foot-7, but he still had to crane his neck upward just to meet Wembanyama’s glare.
The dunk did not stay on the board. Officials ruled the foul occurred before Wemby gained control of the ball, turning the play into a common foul rather than a continuation. Even so, the moment shifted the energy inside the arena and set the tone for the fourth quarter.
After the game, Wembanyama explained why he fired back, News Week reports.
“I was not trying to prove anything to anybody. It is just you know, at some point, just like anybody, for me at least, when someone speaks to you a certain way, you have to respond a certain way,” he said during his post-game press conference.
Wembanyama Describes His Mindset After the Exchange
The confrontation came with San Antonio leading 89-82 early in the fourth quarter. The Warriors chipped away at the lead and eventually escaped with a 109-108 victory, outscoring the Spurs 32-29 down the stretch.
Asked whether he enjoyed the intensity of the matchup with Golden State, Wembanyama did not entertain the storyline. He shook his head, clearly still frustrated by the loss.
“Good question. I do not know. I am not enjoying the moment right now,” he said.
While the Spurs fell short, Wemby controlled the matchup with Green for most of the night. He posted 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal, impacting the game on both ends. Green finished with six points on 3-for-12 shooting and added eight rebounds, eight assists, and three blocks.
Wembanyama also had success backing Green down. During the third quarter, he scored on two separate post-up possessions that put the Warriors forward on his heels.
The matchup carried extra intrigue. Green has a long-standing history of tension with Rudy Gobert. Wembanyama maintains a close relationship with the Minnesota center, though Wemby never referenced Gobert and only spoke about the moment directly in front of him.
Warriors Close Late Behind Curry’s Big Night
The final minutes delivered a dramatic finish. The Spurs held a 108-107 lead when Wembanyama blocked Jimmy Butler’s layup with 33 seconds left. San Antonio could not extend the lead, as De’Aaron Fox missed a midrange jumper on the next trip, per ESPN.
Stephen Curry drew a foul from Fox on Golden State’s following possession and sank both free throws to give the Warriors the lead for good. Fox missed a jumper at the buzzer and the Warriors completed a sweep of the two-game set in San Antonio.
Curry finished with 49 points on 16-for-26 shooting, hitting nine threes. He tied Michael Jordan for the most 40-point games after turning 30 in league history with 44.
Fox posted 24 points and 10 assists while Julian Champagnie scored 14. Butler added 21 points and Brandin Podziemski and Will Richard finished with 10 each.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said playing consecutive games in San Antonio created a playoff-type atmosphere. The Wemby and Green confrontation only added to that environment, illustrating how competitive the matchup became on Friday night.
Burtland Dixon Burtland Dixon is a sports journalist covering the NBA and athlete culture for Heavy.com. A former Division II athlete turned journalist, he offers a unique blend of locker room perspective and storytelling expertise. He has more than eight years of experience in digital media and previously served as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with additional bylines at Idolator, Trend Chaser, and Buzznet. Burtland is based between California and New York. More about Burtland Dixon
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