The NBA has been extremely chaotic today, and the match between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Atlanta Hawks only continued that pattern. After several ejections took place in the game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Detroit Pistons earlier tonight, Naz Reid and Mouhamed Gueye were ejected. Here’s what happened.

What Triggered the NBA Altercation?

With 11:52 left in the fourth quarter, right after the first possession of the period, with the Wolves in possession, Gueye seemingly pushed Reid, who fell to the ground after being taken off balance with contact from Gabe Vincent. After the referees called a foul on the Hawks, Reid then aggressively approached Gueye, which is when the problems began.

What Happened During the Scuffle?

Gueye and Reid started jawing at each other, causing referees and teammates to get between them, before grabbing each other’s jerseys. Wolves forward Julius Randle tried to step in to help separate the two, but it was too late, as the two had already exchanged hits.

After the two were separated, the referees reviewed the sequence and immediately ejected both of them from the game. Hawks center Jock Landale might’ve gotten the worst of the scuffle, ending up with two big scratches on his back and the side of his neck.

Reid is a hard-nosed player, and this isn’t the first time he’s gotten involved in a scuffle. Last season, the center was removed as a part of a larger series of ejections, including Wolves teammate Donte DiVincenzo and assistant Pablo Prigioni, as well as Detroit Pistons players Marcus Sasser, Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and head coach JB Bickerstaff.

Despite his reputation, the Wolves decided to extend him this offseason, bringing him back on a five-year, $125 million deal that cements him as a clear contributor for the future of the contending Timberwolves.

Gueye doesn’t back down quickly either, and despite this being his first career ejection, he has already shown his hard-nosed nature this season. Just a few weeks ago, Gueye got into a scuffle with Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, resulting in technical fouls for both of them.

Unfortunately for Gueye, the Hawks couldn’t fight back against the Timberwolves’ attack tonight. Minnesota came out with two back-to-back 40-point quarters, relying on speed and physicality to punish the Hawks.

Atlanta showed some signs of life when they cut the lead to 54-48 in the second quarter, but Minnesota immediately responded with a 25-4 run that completely opened the door. Newly acquired guard Ayo Dosunmu and Naz Reid came off the bench to make a clear impact, and by halftime, the lead sat at 81-56.

Julius Randle helped seal the game after halftime, dictating tempo and keeping the offense organized while finishing with a triple-double. The Hawks played better after the break, but the damage was already done. CJ McCollum’s 38 points were the only highlight on a tough night, with shooting woes and a missing Jalen Johnson leaving them at a disadvantage.

Next, the Wolves are set to take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, whereas the Hawks will face off against the Charlotte Hornets.