Things got a bit heated during Game 2 of the Memphis Grizzlies-Golden State Warriors series on Tuesday night.
The game was explosive all night which is what you would expect from the second and third seed in the West.
This is going to be a knock-down, drag-out series.
But the wildest moment came in the opening minutes when another flagrant foul and ejection occurred.
Memphis player Dillon Brooks chased down Gary Payton II and him in the side of the head just three minutes into the first quarter.
The foul was intense and very painful and resulted in a broken elbow for Payton.
Steve Kerr: "Dillon Brooks broke the code. He broke the code. That's how I see it."
— Monte Poole (@MontePooleNBCS) May 4, 2022
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was downright furious about the foul.
Following the game, he said that, “Dillon Brooks broke the code. He broke the code. That’s how I see it.”
It’s assumed he was referencing the untold code of not hurting another player in the league.
In Kerr’s eyes, Brooks’ foul went above and beyond and was truly uncalled for.
Can the Warriors recover without Payton?
Broken Code
Kerr’s fury at the foul was immediate.
As Brooks headed for the locker room, Kerr was heard to be yelling “Get the (expletive) out of here, Brooks!”
It’s not often you see Kerr react like that.
It remains to be seen how his team will do without Payton, who has averaged 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds a game this year.
While not the most consequential player on the team, he’s definitely an important part of the lineup.
It’s no secret that the Warriors want their entire squad as they push through this series – and possibly beyond it.
The Warriors may recover from losing Payton but they won’t recover from the anger they currently feel.
