Phoenix Suns forward Royce O’Neale believes that Grayson Allen didn’t deserve to receive a Flagrant 2 for his scuffle with Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren in yesterday’s 138-89 NBA Cup quarterfinals defeat.
Allen got into it with Holmgren with less than six minutes in the third period, as the Phoenix Suns guard gave the Oklahoma City Thunder star a hard forearm to the chest during a switch on a screen involving Dillon Brooks and Jalen Williams.
“For sure. Just the way the physicality of the game was going. I don’t think it was excessive like that. (Chet Holmgren) might have sold it a little more to get that flagrant 2, but I don’t think it was a flagrant 2,” O’Neale said via AZ Central’s Duane Rankin.
Allen played 22 minutes in the blowout defeat, recording 10 points and four assists on 3-for-9 shooting from the field. On the other hand, Holmgren paced the Oklahoma City Thunder with 24 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and four three-pointers on 9-for-13 shooting.
Phoenix Suns News: Grayson Allen also does not agree with his Flagrant 2 foul call
Grayson Allen believes that his physical confrontation with Chet Holmgren did not merit a Flagrant 2 because of how the game was going. However, the Phoenix Suns guard admitted that his reputation may have been the factor behind his ejection.
“Felt like I gave a good foul within the physicality of the game and what was going on both ends, especially with the bumps on screens. Some of the hits on blockouts that were happening. It was straight up,” Allen explained.
“He was cutting into me. Definitely a foul, but I thought it was within the physicality of the game. I think the reaction afterwards kind of played into that,” he added.
