The referees got this one right.
Draymond Green tried to go up in the lane for a shot over Steven Adams in the second quarter and was fouled. But, in trying to sell that call, Green flailed his arms and fell back, kicking his legs out.
And kicking Adams right in the... groin. Where men least want to be kicked.
The call after review was a shooting foul on Adams and a flagrant 1 on Green. That was the right call, the punishment fit the crime.
After the game, both Kerr and Green said they thought the call should be rescinded. Not a chance. The rule states a flagrant foul is “unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent” and this fits the definition. It becomes a flagrant two — meaning a suspension — if it is deemed “excessive.” That implies intent that I don’t think was there, although a number of Thunder players after the game did say they thought Green did kick him intentionally (this is twice Green has hit Adams down there in two games).
Green said this was not intentional.
Draymond denies he intentionally kicked Adams: "I'm sure he wants to have kids one day, I'm not trying to end that on the basketball court."
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 23, 2016
Green may get a fine, but don’t expect the one-game suspension that Cleveland’s Dahntay Jones got for Green. For one, Jones intentionally got his swing in there, where I don’t see intent with Green. The other key factor here: Jones has a long history of those kinds of blows to guys. That impacts the league’s decision making.
