In a blowout NBA Cup matchup that quickly turned ugly for Phoenix, Grayson Allen was hit with a flagrant 2 foul and ejected after shoving Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren, adding fresh fuel to a long-running narrative around Allen’s physical and often controversial style of play.
A Rough Night for the Suns — and for Grayson Allen
The game between the
Phoenix Suns and
Oklahoma City Thunder was essentially over by halftime, with OKC racing out to a massive lead behind another dominant performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. The Thunder stretched the margin to 20, then 30, and were flirting with a 40-point advantage as Phoenix unraveled.
In the third quarter, with frustration clearly boiling over,
Allen shoved Holmgren on a play that was whistled as a flagrant 2, leading to his automatic ejection. The contact, while hard, was described by some commentators as not especially violent on its own — but Allen’s long history of questionable plays likely didn’t help public perception.
A clip of the foul and ejection quickly spread on social media and YouTube, igniting another round of debate about Allen’s on-court behavior and whether referees and the league now judge him through the lens of his past.
Why the Flagrant 2 Call Blew Up Online
The incident drew attention for two main reasons:
-
The severity of the call: Some fans and analysts argued the shove looked more like a flagrant 1 — an unnecessary but not
excessive act — rather than a flagrant 2, which implies unnecessary and excessive contact leading to an ejection.
-
Allen’s reputation: The YouTube commentary and social reaction repeatedly referenced Allen’s history of “dirty plays,” suggesting that while
this particular shove wasn’t the worst thing he has done, the optics were impossible to separate from his record.
That combination made the play instantly viral: a borderline call, a blowout game, and a player known league-wide for skirting the edge of what’s acceptable physically.
The Thunder Keep Rolling as Suns Spiral
While Allen’s ejection grabbed headlines, the wider story was just how dominant Oklahoma City looked:
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points and controlled the game on both ends.
-
Chet Holmgren poured in 24 points, showcasing footwork and shot-making that left Phoenix scrambling.
- The Thunder extended their winning streak to
16 games and improved to
24–1 on the season in this NBA Cup stretch.
Commentary around the game framed it as “easy work” for OKC, with the starters barely needing to play in the fourth quarter and effectively shutting things down in the third. For the Suns, playing without Devin Booker, it was another worrying sign of inconsistency and vulnerability against elite opposition.
Grayson Allen’s Controversial Track Record
Allen’s flagrant 2 doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it taps into a long history:
- In college at Duke, he became notorious for
multiple tripping incidents that led to public reprimands and suspensions.
- In the NBA, he has been involved in several
hard fouls and flagrant calls that sparked debates about intent and sportsmanship.
This latest shove on Holmgren is being viewed by many as part of a pattern: not always outright dangerous, but often unnecessary, reckless, and timed in moments when frustration is high. That perception likely amplifies every borderline play he makes — and turns a single flagrant into a national talking point.
What This Means Going Forward
For
Grayson Allen:
- The league could review the play and decide whether any further discipline (like a fine) is warranted, as often happens with flagrant 2 calls in high-visibility games.
- His reputation as one of the NBA’s most polarizing role players remains firmly intact — and nights like this make it even harder for him to shed that label.
For the
Suns:
- The combination of
a lopsided loss,
ejection of a key rotation player, and
Booker’s absence raises real questions about depth, composure, and how this team responds when punched in the mouth by top-tier opponents.
- Phoenix will need Allen’s shooting and edge going forward, but they will also need him on the floor — not in the locker room after early exits.
For the
Thunder:
- This game was another statement that their hot start is no fluke.
- With Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren leading a deep, confident squad, OKC is not just a fun young team anymore; they look like a legitimate contender that can embarrass veteran-heavy teams like Phoenix on any given night.
The Bigger Picture: Reputation vs. Reality
The debate now is less about
this one shove and more about
how much a player’s past should influence present calls.
- Some fans argue Allen is being judged on his name as much as the contact.
- Others insist that after years of borderline and dangerous plays, he has simply earned less benefit of the doubt.
Either way, every time Grayson Allen steps over the line — or even near it — the reaction is instant, loud, and unforgiving. This latest flagrant 2 in a national-stage NBA Cup elimination only cements that dynamic.
Sources
1. Grayson Allen Flagrant 2! Thunder Eliminate Suns NBA Cup!
