Grayson Allen doesn’t make too many friends on the court, and Wednesday night was more of the same.
Allen, who has long been considered a “dirty” player dating back to his time as a Duke college basketball player, was thrown out on Wednesday night as the Suns were blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder 138-89 in the NBA Cup semifinals.
While coming up on a Chet Holmgren screen in a 94-58 game in the third quarter, Allen ran into him hard with his forearm near the head area of the star center.
The Thunder had a visceral reaction to what ended up being called a flagrant two foul and an ejection, and a brawl nearly ensued.
After the game, Allen said he was surprised he was ejected for it.
“Felt like I gave a good foul within the physicality of the game and what was going on both ends, especially with the bumps on screens,” Allen said postgame. “Some of the hits on blockouts that were happening. It was straight up. He was cutting into me. Definitely a foul, but I thought it was within the physicality of the game. I think the reaction afterwards kind of played into [the ejection].”
The Thunder, who clearly objected to the infraction by Allen, are well aware of his prior history.
“Just, I don’t know. We’re up 40,” Jalen Williams told reporters postgame, while calling his flagrant foul “a thing he’s kinda done his whole career.”
With the win, the Thunder advance to the semifinals of the NBA Cup as they’ve dominated the competition all season long.
Allen ended the game with 10 points and four assists on 3-for9 shooting in the non-competitive loss.
