Even though Grant Williams is no longer a member of the Celtics, he nevertheless got into a contentious altercation with a Boston rival this past weekend. The event happened in the final seconds of the Hornets’ Friday night at the Chase Center loss to the Warriors, 97-84.
Prior to the game, Williams had led the Hornets to a four-game winning streak; nevertheless, a poor shooting effort resulted in the difficult defeat. Williams stayed on the court for the last seconds of the game, even though it seemed like both teams were ready to call it quits.
On the Warriors’ last possession, youngster Lester Quinones chose to layup instead of waiting for the shot clock to run out. After Quinones was challenged, Hornets forward Miles Bridges confronted him. Bridges ended up goaltending the shot, giving the Warriors two extra points.
Both teams’ players rushed over to continue the altercation right away, with Williams making it a point to strike Quinones in the face. The two head coaches were shaking hands when the altercation broke out.
With just seconds remaining in the Charlotte defeat, Williams was ultimately sent off for his antics. The big guy, who signed a four-year contract with Dallas following a sign-and-trade, was traded by the Mavericks to the rebuilding Hornets, and has had a disappointing season.
Williams and the Warriors have a lengthy history that dates back to the 2022 NBA Finals, and some of the Warriors’ post-game frustrations surfaced.
“Dude, Grant Williams has to stop it,” Draymond Green remarked to reporters. “For him, trying to be this tough person is not working at all. He is a truly kind man. And for some reason, he keeps trying to come across as unlikeable, and I have to admit that it’s not always enjoyable here.It’s not always enjoyable. I’m not sure, man; he needs to work things out. Overdoing it with the talking got you kicked out of Dallas. And now he’s talking too much over there.
