Report: Timberwolves Don't Think Ben Simmons Was a 'Peacemaker' in Embiid-Towns Brawl

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Timberwolves are reportedly rejecting officials calling Ben Simmons a "peacemaker" in Wednesday night's brawl between Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Sources told Wojnarowski that the Timberwolves consider Simmons' act of holding Towns down on the floor as a "dangerous chokehold." After the game, referee Mark Ayotte told reporters that Simmons was "deemed a peacemaker."

Embiid and Anthony-Towns were ejected for fighting in the third quarter of Wednesday night's game between the Sixers and Timberwolves in Philadelphia. 

On Thursday night, the NBA announced two game suspensions for Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns. Simmons was neither suspended nor fined.

The two centers sparked a brawl after Embiid trapped Towns in the corner on a double team, locking arms and shoving each other at Minnesota's end of the floor.

Towns ended up throwing a punch at Embiid and missing before putting the Sixers' big man in a headlock. Simmons also took part in the fight, appearing to have his forearm around Towns' throat.

Teammates and coaches separated Towns and Embiid before both were ejected from the game.