NBA suspends Draymond Green. Kings think he crossed line when he stomped on Domantas Sabonis; Warriors defend him.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – No Golden State Warriors playoff run is complete without a Draymond Green controversy. He and Domantas Sabonis delivered a doozy that made the NBA suspend Green for the third game of the series.
The suspension was first reported on social media by Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Green was ejected at the 7-minute mark of the fourth quarter during the Warriors’ Game 2 loss on Monday night against the Sacramento Kings when the pair got tangled up following a box-out.
Sabonis fell to the floor and held on to Green’s ankle and Green, trying to escape his grasp, stepped hard on the former Gonzaga standout’s chest. Sabonis was issued a technical foul and Green a Flagrant 2 foul and ejection.
Green was suspended for a pivotal Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers when Green hit LeBron James in the groin after James pushed Green to the ground and walked over him. After the Warriors’ win to put them up 3-1, NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued a Flagrant 1 foul on Green that triggered a suspension. Green had already received a Flagrant 2 following an incident with Thunder center Steven Adams in the Western Conference finals.
The league determined Green’s action Monday night was excessive to suspend him without another flagrant foul. Sabonis deflected blame and said he was protecting himself when asked about holding onto Green’s foot and potentially provoking the altercation.
“I love the competition and the playoffs, taking on the Warriors,” he told reporters. “I got hit earlier in the game in the jaw so I felt like I was protecting myself. Then obviously that happens. I feel like there’s no room for that in the game today.
“It’s the playoffs, a lot of things happen. At that point, I get pushed, I’m falling on the floor, I’m just trying to protect myself.”
Sacramento guard De’Aaron Fox defended his teammate.
“You know, going against him and some guys in this league that it’s going to get physical,” he told reporters. “Obviously, that shouldn’t happen. At the end of the day, we’re protecting our teammate.”
Green defended himself during the Warriors’ news conference.
“My leg got grabbed,” Green said. “Second time in two nights. Referees just watch it. I have to land my foot somewhere. I’m not the most flexible person, so that’s not stretching.
“I can only step so far. And I was pulling my leg away. Is what it is. I wasn’t surprised he stayed down there that long, though.”
Green also asked for an X-ray on his ankle after the game, according to ESPN’s Marc Spears.
Klay Thompson came close to calling Sabonis’ actions dirty.
“What are you going to do when someone grabs your foot full speed?” he said. “That’s a dir… – fully grabs your foot and yanks on you? That’s not cool, man. Not saying what Draymond did was right, but can’t just grab someone’s foot as he’s taking off full sprint.”
On TNT’s “Inside the NBA”, Shaquille O’Neal defended Green’s actions.
“I would do the same thing, I really would,” he said. “Don’t be grabbing me, because what am I going to do? If I stay there and run forward, I’ll fall. You have to get him up off of you. If you get up off me, and you’re in the way, you’ll get stomped on. Was it a dirty play? Of course it was a dirty play.””