Nets’ Schroder starts altercation with Mike Conley for “unwritten rule” after late 3

Dennis Schroder needs to re-read the unwritten rules.

Minnesota was up 98-86 on the Nets and trying to run out the clock when the ball found its way to Mike Conley when the shot clock was about to expire (and there were about :24 seconds, or one possession, left in the game). Rather than let play stop and force an out-of-bounds to extend the game, Conley just fired up a 3, which he made. However, the Nets’ Dennis Schroder took offense to that shot — for apparently violating the unwritten rule of showboating and running up the score — and charged Conley. An altercation ensued.

Schroder was given a technical foul for starting this (and was instantly subbed out by interim Nets coach Kevin Ollie). The Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith as well as the Timberwolves Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker also got technicals for being involved in the fray.

Conley’s reaction to what happened felt like a shrug.

This is just too much from Schroder.

If you want to be offended that in the final seconds of a decided game when some player decides to showboat and throw down a windmill dunk, we can have a conversation (I’d still say, “Then play some defense, this isn’t U8 soccer and mercy rules” but that kind of windmill dunk or other such move is bad form). Conley didn’t do that. He fired up a 3 as the clock was expiring to keep the play moving. Schroder took offense at something not worth being offended over. Schroder might be frustrated at the loss, he might be frustrated being traded to Brooklyn, and who else knows what else might be going on, but this was not something worth getting upset about.

Sometimes the unwritten rules get a little out of control.