Draymond Green had been toeing the line with referees for over a month, but on Wednesday, he crossed the line and now he will have to pay the price.
Just before halftime of the Warriors' game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena, Green was assessed his 16th technical foul of the season, which will warrant a one-game suspension barring the NBA rescinding the penalty, which seems unlikely, given the nature of the infraction.
As Clippers center Ivica Zubac banked a shot in, Russell Westbrook appeared to shove Green in the back. The Warriors' forward responded by throwing the ball at Westbrook. The refs immediately blew the whistle and handed Green a technical foul.
If the NBA doesn't rescind the technical foul, Green will be forced to sit out the Warriors' game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Friday night.
Green's 15th technical foul came on Feb. 13 against the Washington Wizards, and he had avoided No. 16 until Wednesday night.
Ironically, on the very next sequence, Green was on the receiving end of unnecessary contact when Marcus Morris Sr. flung him to the court. The Clippers forward was assessed a flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game.
As for Green, now that he has 16 technical fouls this season, he will receive another one-game suspension for every two techs he picks up this season.
RELATED: NBA rescinds Jordan Poole's questionable technical foul
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The Warriors need to win every game possible the rest of the way, so losing Green for even one game can do serious damage to their NBA playoff seeding.
