Rockets, Warriors clash in Game 4 scuffle

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    SAN FRANCISCO — Tensions ran high as the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets clashed in a heated Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Monday night. The Warriors edged out the Rockets with a tight 109-106 win, but not without some drama midway through the second quarter. A shoving match erupted among players, leading to a flurry of technical fouls, setting a combative tone before halftime.

    The game was knotted at 36 points when Golden State’s Stephen Curry advanced the ball down the sideline. His teammate Draymond Green set a robust screen on Houston’s Amen Thompson, which was shortly followed by Houston’s Dillon Brooks committing a foul on Curry. The physical play sparked Brooks’ frustration, prompting him to confront Curry and Green.

    Following the altercation, Green remarked, “I got a technical tonight and there were guys way more aggressive than me, so that’s crazy,” highlighting the rough and tumble nature of the contest. Curry was penalized with a technical for “taunting” Brooks, who also received similar sanctions alongside Green.

    “All he said was that’s two,” Green commented on Curry’s taunt referencing Brooks’ fouls count. “There’s been way more taunting than that in this series. But, hey, it is what it is, I like it.” Meanwhile, a scuffle between Warriors rookie Quinten Post and Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. resulted in no penalties after officials reviewed the footage.

    Later in the quarter, a Flagrant 1 foul was called against Green for a rough play involving Houston’s Tari Eason. The incident occurred as they both dove for a loose ball, with Green’s leg pinning against Eason’s neck. Eason, too, received a technical foul in the ensuing fracas.

    “It’s just part of the game. It’s highly competitive out there,” noted Rocket center Steven Adams. “As you know, playoffs are a different level of competition from the regular season. People are just playing hard. Sometimes things happen. It’s not ill intention. I think you’re just trying to win.”

    The Warriors now hold a 3-1 lead in the series, with the chance to close it out in Game 5 on Wednesday at Houston’s home court. Reflecting on the game’s physicality, Curry recognized the significance of maintaining focus amid distractions. “There were more reviews, every game has been physical and there have been moments,” he said. “You expect two teams to not like each other at this point. … You don’t want the antics to distract from the game.”

    Adding to the tension, history between the two teams only served to intensify the rivalry. Jimmy Butler was back in action following a Game 3 absence due to a pelvic contusion, the result of a foul from Thompson in Game 2. The hard contact sent both Butler and Thompson crashing to the floor, with Butler leaving briefly for treatment.

    Friday saw Brooks defending Thompson’s actions, labeling Green as “dirty,” a sentiment Warriors coach Steve Kerr found notable. Memories of altercations past, namely Brooks’ 2022 foul on Gary Payton II that led to an injury, lingered in the minds of those on the court.

    Payton, recalling a recent run-in with Brooks, played it cool during a postgame inquiry saying with a wry grin, “I didn’t see it.” Meanwhile, Butler, when queried if the game felt like a schoolyard rivalry, left no doubt about his perspective. “No, we’re not having fun. Give me this, I don’t like Dillon Brooks,” he asserted. “We’re never having fun. I’m a fierce competitor. He’s a fierce competitor. There ain’t nothing fun about that.”