There doesn't seem to be any love lost between Donte DiVincenzo and the New York Knicks after he was shipped off to Minnesota.
It's not common that bad blood starts to boil in the NBA's pre-season, but considering the circumstances, it only makes sense that tensions might rise in the exhibition game between the Knicks and the Timberwolves.
The newest Minnesota guard let his grievances be heard on Sunday, appearing to send some choice words to his former teammates and coaching staff while at the free-throw line.
In the clip, he appears to be shouting at Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, saying "That's what happens when they let you run the show." However, he told reporters after the game that he didn't say anything to Thibodeau and was just joking around with his former team.
"It was in a general direction and obviously they have me on video saying it," DiVincenzo said. "I'm not there anymore. I play, I'm competitive, I wear my heart on my sleeve and that's all it was."
After the game, which ended in a 115-110 win for the Knicks, DiVincenzo appeared to then get into a heated exchange with Rick Brunson, New York assistant coach and father of Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson.
The two sides had to be held back during the squabble.
He had no comment on the altercation with Brunson after the game
DiVincenzo was involved in the blockbuster deal for Karl-Anthony Towns that went through on Oct. 2, just before pre-season started. This is his first game back in New York.
Before Sunday's outing, DiVincenzo told reporters that he loved his time in New York, calling it one of the best years of his life and that his love for Knicks fans is "Through the roof."
Additionally, in an exclusive interview with the New York Post, he also shut down rumours about his displeasure with the Knicks after they made a trade for Mikal Bridges in the off-season.
Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden gave the guard a standing ovation during pre-game player introductions on Sunday.
The two sides will face off again on Dec. 19 in Minnesota, then again on Jan. 17 back in New York.
He only spent one year with the team but averaged an impressive 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals in a limited 29.1 minutes a night. He turned it up a level in the playoffs, particularly when Brunson went out with an injury, scoring over 25 points four times in the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers.
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