The Minnesota Timberwolves will be without their MVP candidate center for two games after Karl-Anthony Towns got into it with Joel Embiid on Wednesday night.
The Minnesota Timberwolves‘ matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers was a bit of a snoozefest for the first two-and-a-half quarters as Philly was having their way with the young Wolves.
Then, Karl-Anthony Towns decided he had had enough and got into an all-out fight with Joel Embiid after they had gotten tangled up following a Minnesota possession.
Towns swung at Embiid before taking him down, but it was unclear whether that swing was an actual punch or if he was simply trying to get his arm around Embiid’s head to bring him to the ground.
KAT and Embiid were separated fairly quickly after they both went to the ground, and they have each been suspended two games for their roles in the incident.
More from Dunking with Wolves
- The dream starting 5 for Minnesota Timberwolves 5 years from now
- Anthony Edwards’ latest accolade is a great sign of things to come
- In an OT thriller, Team Canada snatches Bronze from Team USA
- Timberwolves start, bench, cut: Mike Conley, Shake Milton, Jordan McLaughlin
- Which Timberwolves roster additions have upgraded the bench?
After the big men were separated, Ben Simmons was lying on Towns and looked to have him in a chokehold.
The NBA decided that Simmons was acting as a peacemaker and did not suspend him for the incident even though the Sixers’ point guard had his elbow around KAT’s neck.
There was a flurry of social media activity between Embiid and Towns following the fight last night and former Wolf and Sixer Jimmy Butler was even involved when Embiid tagged him in an Instagram post.
No one really comes out of this fight looking great, and Towns will be sorely missed for the next two games as his Timberwolves take on the feisty Wizards before heading home to face the Bucks.
Towns and Embiid could appeal these suspensions but that seems unlikely considering both of them knew they were going to get at least a one-game penalty from the league following their scuffle.
I would’ve probably at least fined Simmons for his role in the altercation, but it’s hard to argue with the league’s sentencing for Towns and Embiid.
Minnesota’s already-thin frontcourt will face an incredibly tough test over the next two games as they deal with Towns’ absence.