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With obvious exceptions, an on-court fight in an NBA game usually stops soon after it begins. Players can push and shove for a few seconds without holding grudges — tempers can flare in the heat of competition without everyone hating each other forever. Unless a guy goes too far — like, say, with a nose-booping — everyone shakes hands and hugs after the buzzer and goes on his merry way.
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Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker did not let his minor tussle with Memphis Grizzlies shooter Troy Daniels stay on the court on Wednesday night. With 1:10 remaining in regulation and the Grizzlies well on their way to a 110-91 win, Booker fouled Daniels on a made three-pointer. The two players got into it in the aftermath of the whistle, which set off a multi-player shoving match. Take a look here:
Referees handed out all forms of punishment to avoid further trouble in the final minute of a blowout. Daniels and Suns Tyler Ulis and Marquese Chriss were ejected, and Booker, Suns forward Alan Williams, and Grizzlies forward JaMychal Green all earned technical fouls.
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But the real action occurred after the game, when Booker casually slammed Daniels for even deigning to talk trash to him:
For what it’s worth, Booker’s comments don’t appear to have gone over very well in his own locker room. Listen to the video around the 0:17 mark and you’ll hear someone say “that’s f—– up” in the background.
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Then again, maybe I’m being too hard on Booker. He could have been upset that he had so much trouble getting into FedEx Forum prior to Wednesday’s tip:
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Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker did not let his minor tussle with Memphis Grizzlies shooter Troy Daniels stay on the court on Wednesday night. With 1:10 remaining in regulation and the Grizzlies well on their way to a 110-91 win, Booker fouled Daniels on a made three-pointer. The two players got into it in the aftermath of the whistle, which set off a multi-player shoving match. Take a look here:
Referees handed out all forms of punishment to avoid further trouble in the final minute of a blowout. Daniels and Suns Tyler Ulis and Marquese Chriss were ejected, and Booker, Suns forward Alan Williams, and Grizzlies forward JaMychal Green all earned technical fouls.
[Read & React Newsletter: 5 great stories from the Yahoo Sports blogs in your inbox every morning!]
But the real action occurred after the game, when Booker casually slammed Daniels for even deigning to talk trash to him:
Devin Booker on Troy Daniels (the two had some trash talking going) "He been on 5 teams in 3 years..he has the nerves to talk trash to me" pic.twitter.com/TkDxJUemoF
— FOX Sports Radio1340 (@1340AMFOXSports) February 9, 2017
Congratulations to Booker, who sounds like he’s about five seconds from bragging about his car, for getting in the last word. Yes, Daniels has played for a lot of teams in his NBA career — four in four seasons (out of four total), to be exact — but not every player is so fortunate to be drafted in the lottery. Some have to wait to find a long-term home, which Daniels appears to have done with Memphis this season. He came into Wednesday shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the arc for a solid playoff team that had sought a perimeter threat off the bench for several years. Booker’s definitely the better player and a budding star, but that doesn’t mean Daniels doesn’t deserve to be on the same court with him.— FOX Sports Radio1340 (@1340AMFOXSports) February 9, 2017
For what it’s worth, Booker’s comments don’t appear to have gone over very well in his own locker room. Listen to the video around the 0:17 mark and you’ll hear someone say “that’s f—– up” in the background.
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Then again, maybe I’m being too hard on Booker. He could have been upset that he had so much trouble getting into FedEx Forum prior to Wednesday’s tip:
Lmaoooo I spotted Devin Booker walking around FedExForum trying to get in and knocking on doors like a travel salesman before the game ???? pic.twitter.com/J5li8ADTEe
— Alexis Morgan (@alexiskmorgan) February 9, 2017
On the bright side, Booker at least managed to score 20 points on 6-of-13 from the field for a Suns squad that managed to shoot just 33.3 percent from the field and 5-of-23 from beyond the arc. Daniels wasn’t bad either — he put up 14 and went 4-of-9 on three-pointers as one of six Grizzlies in double figures.— Alexis Morgan (@alexiskmorgan) February 9, 2017
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!Follow @FreemanEric