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Devin Booker wrestles Suns security, attempts tunnel fight with Wolves' Gorgui Dieng

By Alex Butler
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (L) had 14 points in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday in Phoenix. Photo by C.J. Gunther/EPA-EFE
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (L) had 14 points in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday in Phoenix. Photo by C.J. Gunther/EPA-EFE

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker wrestled with team security while trying to fight Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng during a loss in Phoenix.

The 6-foot-6 Suns guard and 6-foot-11 Timberwolves big man got into a tussle in the third quarter of the Timberwolves' 118-91 win on Tuesday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Dieng was driving to the rim when he appeared to hit Booker in the face with his elbow.

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Dieng was given an offensive charge for the infraction, but the bad blood still boiled. Booker and Dieng got tangled up seconds later and received double technicals. Both players were ejected. Dieng motioned for Booker to meet him in the tunnel on the way out and Booker nodded in agreement.

A large member of the Suns staff escorted Booker off of the court but the guard attempted to fight him off. The staff member clinched onto Booker's jersey as he pushed away in an attempt to free himself and get to Dieng, but it was to no avail.

"After that [the call] I wasn't even talking to him, I was talking to the ref," Dieng told Wolves Radio. "'How come it's a foul?' He talked to me and I talked to him back and we exchanged words there.

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"I think he tried to hit me. Everybody can see ... He try to hit me and I just laugh it off. I know that in this league a lot of guys think they're tough.

"... other guys think they're tough and they're not."

Dieng joked that he wanted to "swap jerseys" with Booker. He did not meet up with him in the tunnel.

Booker scored 14 points and had four assists and three rebounds in the loss. Dieng did not score, but pulled down three rebounds in the win. Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists for the Timberwolves. Josh Jackson scored a game-high 27 points and had 10 rebounds, three assists and three blocks for Phoenix.

The Suns host the Portland Trail Blazers at 9 p.m. on Thursday in Phoenix. The Timberwolves face the Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30 p.m. on Thursday at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

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