Draymond Green is going to be on the court Tuesday night when the Warriors visit the Thunder in a critical Game 4 — boos will rain down on him every time he touches the ball, he will be lighter in the wallet, but he will be there.
After review, the NBA league office decided to upgrade Green’s foul from when he kicked Steven Adams to a Flagrant 2, but not to suspend him a game. The story was broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports and has since been confirmed by the NBA.
“After a thorough investigation that included review of all available video angles and interviews with the players involved and the officials working the game, we have determined that Green’s foul was unnecessary and excessive and warranted the upgrade and fine,” Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations, said in a statement.
“During a game, players – at times – flail their legs in an attempt to draw a foul,” VanDeWeghe continued, “but Green’s actions in this case warranted an additional penalty.”
Green also has been fined $25,000.
It’s fair to ask why the Cavaliers’ Dahntay Jones was suspended one game when Green was not. However, the suspension was the lesser punishment for Jones — he signed just before the end of the season and make just a little more than $8,000 with the Cavaliers in salary. He was fined one game’s salary, which for him works out to $80.17 — a $25,000 fine would have been three times is salary for the season.
The league is saying that Green should have been thrown out of the game at the time, but it was a “basketball play” trying to draw the foul and not worthy of a suspension. I’m not sure the call shouldn’t have been left alone, but it didn’t warrant a suspension in my eyes.
Green has three flagrant points these playoffs, with one more Flagrant 1 he is suspended for one game, with another Flagrant 2 he would be suspended two games.
The Thunder blew out the Warriors in Game 3 and part of the reason was that Green played terribly — the guy that is the heart of Golden State lost his poise (mostly after this incident). His defense was off, he rushed bad shots on offense (1-of-9 shooting), and he turned the ball over four times. If he doesn’t play well Tuesday, the Warriors are in trouble even if he is on the court.
But he will get a chance to play. And hear it from Thunder fans.
