The NBA cited Draymond Green’s past history for hitting Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis in Game 2 of the Golden State Warriors’ first-round series.
The Warriors star believes it went further than that.
He is talking about suspension for the first time His “Draymond Green Show” podcastGreen pointed out that he was suspended for his infamous hip kick in the 2016 NBA playoffs and he laid some of the blame on his treatment from the Sacramento crowd:
“I didn’t know you could be suspended for a blatant two from seven years ago. And I didn’t know you could be suspended for hanging out with a crowd that flips you into double-birds and shouts your name and your catchphrases. I didn’t know that either,” my mates said, playing well.
“Can’t say I really enjoyed the game. Being suspended from a game at this point in my career, not being able to participate in that dogfight…will never affect me from an emotional standpoint.”
Those blatant two came when Green kicked Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams. at the waist in the Western Conference Finals. That postseason created a legacy for Green in a bad way, as he was suspended in Game 5 of the NBA Finals after committing four flagrant fouls in the playoffs.
At this time, Green’s suspension was controversial, as many believed Sabonis deserved some of the blame for grabbing Green’s leg off the ground and the NBA acknowledged that Green’s repeat offender status was heavily weighted in light of his discipline.
Since he entered the league in 2012, Green has recorded 163 technical fouls, 17 ejections and four suspensions in the regular season and 27 technical fouls in 147 playoff games. ESPN Stats & Info.
Fortunately for Green and the Warriors, his absence didn’t stop the team from taking Game 3 and posting their best defensive performance of the series, for which he praised every Warriors player for a minute during his podcast.
Green is on the Warriors’ way back to Game 4 on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Chase Center.
Draymond Green on Joel Embiid’s Kick: ‘I Don’t Care’
Green’s suspension loomed large Thursday when he delivered his own groin kick, or at least one near the groin, to Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid during Game 3 of the Sixers’ series against the Brooklyn Nets.
Embiid gets a foul but isn’t cleared for the kick. Later, however, Sixers teammate James Harden and Nets center Nick Claxton both ended their nights early in a strange game. Harden was found to have hit Nets wing Royce O’Neal with a low blow, while Claxton received a second technical foul for taunting Embiid after a dunk.
Many have compared the Embiid incident to Green’s ejection and suspension, but Green isn’t interested in any comparisons. He said neither Embiid, Harden or Claxton should have been ejected:
“If I can give you my honest opinion, I don’t care. You’re not going to look at me for one thing and say, ‘Man, this guy did it, he didn’t get it.’ That’s not me. I don’t roll like that. No. 1, I never support a player being suspended. I never support a player being ejected from the game. So the buck stops there. What you don’t get from me is a victim.
“All last year I said, I’ve been treated differently, it’s a badge of honor, I’m not like all these guys. I’m different and equal to different championships, so you take the good with the bad. You have to live with it, but what I won’t do is,’ Man, Joel should be suspended!’ That’s fantastic. ‘Should have kicked James!’ It’s crazy, it’s playoff basketball. ‘Nick Claxton should be fired!’ It’s crazy, it’s playoff basketball.”
At least the NBA has decided not to suspend any of those players. The Sixers, currently 3-0 and on the verge of a sweep, will face the Nets in Game 4 on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, TNT).
“Friend of animals everywhere. Devoted analyst. Total alcohol scholar. Infuriatingly humble food trailblazer.”