Timberwolves Secure 138-116 Win Over Hawks Amid Naz Reid Ejection

A fourth-quarter altercation between Naz Reid and Mouhamed Gueye resulted in double ejections during Minnesota's dominant 22-point victory over Atlanta.

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Atlanta Hawks 138-116 on Monday night, a contest punctuated by the Naz Reid ejection with 10:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. Before his removal, Reid tallied seven points and six rebounds in 18 minutes of action. The Timberwolves entered the matchup looking to snap a two-game losing streak following defeats to the New Orleans Pelicans and the LA Clippers. Atlanta forward Mouhamed Gueye, who was also tossed from the game, finished his stint with 10 points and seven rebounds while shooting 4-of-7 from the field.

The physical altercation ignited when Gueye appeared to trip Reid during a transition play in the final period. The Minnesota center reacted by confronting the Hawks forward, leading to a heated exchange that nearly escalated into a fistfight. Although Reid gestured as if he were going to throw a punch, no actual strikes landed during the melee. The confrontation drew players from both benches and coaching staffs onto the hardwood to act as peacemakers. Security personnel eventually intervened to prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control.

During the chaotic shoving match, Hawks center Jock Landale was knocked to the floor. Landale emerged from the pile with visible scratches across his neck, though he managed to stay in the game to finish with six points and four rebounds. Officials spent several minutes at the monitor reviewing the footage to determine the sequence of events. The initial foul was assessed to Gueye for the trip that served as the catalyst for the tension. Following the review, the officiating crew issued double technical fouls to both Reid and Gueye, triggering their immediate disqualification from the remainder of the contest.

Minnesota’s offense clicked throughout the evening, shooting 52% from the floor to maintain a comfortable cushion. The 22-point margin of victory marked a significant turnaround for a squad that had struggled with consistency over the previous week. Despite losing their primary backup big man, the Timberwolves utilized a balanced scoring attack to keep the Hawks at bay. Atlanta struggled to find defensive stops, allowing 38 points in the second quarter alone. The loss dropped the Hawks further down the Eastern Conference standings as they failed to contain Minnesota's perimeter threats.

The absence of Reid and Gueye for the final ten minutes forced both head coaches to adjust their rotations. Minnesota relied on their starting unit to close out the game, while Atlanta turned to their deep reserves to eat up the remaining minutes. The atmosphere inside the arena remained tense following the scuffle, but no further incidents occurred before the final buzzer. This victory provides the Timberwolves with much-needed momentum heading into their upcoming road trip. For the Hawks, the night ended with both a blowout loss and the loss of a key bench contributor to a league-mandated exit.