The Minnesota Timberwolves have already disputed Ben Simmons' role in the scuffle between talisman Karl-Anthony Towns and Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid during Wednesday's game. Yet new president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas thinks that the altercation sends an indirect, but positive message for this team.
“Two teams playing well early in the season, there’s a lot of competition and a lot of emotions flowing,” Rosas said, referring to the Sixers and the Wolves, two undefeated teams before tip-off, according to Chris Hine of The Minneapolis Star Tribune. “You understand it. You don’t ever want to see it. I think at the end of the day, we’re going to be an organization that we have to work and earn the right to be successful in this league, and last night was a step in that direction.”
Rosas didn't think Towns specifically tried to send a message by engaging Embiid, but if it did, it fits exactly what the Wolves want to be all about.
“I think the message we’re sending is we’re going to compete and fight for everything that we deserve in this league,” said Rosas. “Sometimes you have to defend yourself and last night was an example of that.”
Unfortunately, the scuffle was more a byproduct of frustration that actual competitiveness. The Timberwolves were down 75-55 at the time the two big men engaged in near-fisticuffs, as the melee escalated into more players and coaches getting involved in the scrum.
The Wolves are sure wiling to fight, but there are some that they will have to carefully pick, as they now risk losing their star center to a multi-game suspension after the league has finished reviewing the incident.
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