While fighting for their postseason lives on Wednesday night, the tension between the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans was palpable.
In the fourth quarter of this tight play-in game battle — one where the Thunder prevailed 123-118 — the competitive hostility might have been best encapsulated by the Thunder’s Josh Giddey and the Pelicans’ Josh Richardson.
As Giddey tried to create some dribbling space for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Richardson appeared to take a shot below Giddey’s belt. The Thunder guard took an understandable exception to this before having to be kept from Richardson by his teammates. Richardson would be given a flagrant foul for his troubles.
The ensuing scrum and replay showed Giddey sharing some kind of warning to Richardson.
Tempers flare after Josh Richardson’s flagrant foul on Josh Giddey. pic.twitter.com/pFWOuMaDsb
— ESPN (@espn) April 13, 2023
Josh Richardson hits Josh Giddey below the belt, and Giddey tried to go after him 😳
Richardson was hit with a flagrant foul penalty 1.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 13, 2023
While it seems apparent what Giddey told Richardson, NBA fans did their best lip-reading to try and confirm what was said in this tense moment.
(Warning: NSFW language in some of the clips and tweets below.)
Richardson hits Giddey above and below the belt
"Don't do that bullshit again" pic.twitter.com/eArfAcLvw9— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) April 13, 2023
Looks like Josh Giddey is yelling “Don’t you do that bullshit again” at Josh Richardson
— Brandon Olsen (@WNS_Brandon) April 13, 2023
"Don't do that bullshit again. 🫵" – Josh Giddey to Josh Richardson.
Please, stop the Josh-on-Josh violence
— Josh Buckhalter (@JoshGBuck) April 13, 2023
“You know what you did.” -Josh Giddey to Josh Richardson
Per my expert rip leading skills
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) April 13, 2023
“Don’t do that bullsh*t again!”
Josh Giddey to Josh Richardson 👀
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 13, 2023
Josh Giddey last night to Josh Richardson
“Do that BS again, do it again”
While pointing at him, Shai smiles loving the intensity 😂 pic.twitter.com/vAEWr92Jd2
— ThunderTalk⚡️ (@ThunderTalkYT) April 13, 2023
Josh Giddey told Josh Richardson:
“Don’t do that bullshit again” 😳
It’s heating up in New Orleans #NBAPlayInTournament
— Risktaker Ezo (@EzoARisktaker) April 13, 2023
Josh Giddey wasn't happy with Josh Richardson for this contact pic.twitter.com/NDoGDJ0gbq
— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) April 13, 2023
“Don’t do that bullsh*t again!”
Josh Giddey to Josh Richardson
pic.twitter.com/wPgkunVIGn— DARIUS ALFORD (@IAMDARIUSALFORD) April 13, 2023
