Draymond Green is SUSPENDED for crucial Game 3 vs. Sacramento Kings for stomping on Domantas Sabonis – who is now questionable with bruised sternum – as Warriors star’s ‘history of unsportsmanlike acts’ is taken into account
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has been suspended for one game after stomping on Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis, forcing him out of the crucial Game 3 on Thursday.
Green was tossed from the Warriors’ 114-106 first-round playoff loss to the Kings on Monday night after stepping onto his rival’s chest.
With roughly seven minutes left in the game, Malik Monk missed a shot for the Kings, and as Steph Curry grabbed the rebound and prepared to dribble down the other end, Sabonis held onto Green’s leg.
The four-time champ’s foot then met Sabonis’s chest, and Green was ejected from the game with a flagrant two foul, with Sabonis given a technical.
The NBA punished Green by banning him for Game 3 of the playoff series with the reigning champions trailing 2-0. The Kings revealed Sabonis was questionable for the matchup after sustaining a bruised sternum.
Sabonis is down after Draymond stepped on him. pic.twitter.com/6MwsNLT2Pj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport)
April 18, 2023
The NBA statement late Tuesday night read: ‘Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been suspended one game without pay for stepping on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
‘The suspension was based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts.
‘Green will serve his suspension April 20 when the Warriors host the Kings for Game 3 of the series at Chase Center.’
Green has been fined more than $1.2million throughout his career for a series of indiscretions.
He has been called for six flagrant fouls and 27 technical fouls in 147 career playoff games. He was ejected from a playoff game against Memphis last season.
In 2016, Green was suspended for a crucial Game 5 loss to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals after accumulating too many flagrant fouls in the playoffs that season. The Warriors wound up losing in seven.
Coach Steve Kerr and general manager Bob Myers have long supported Green’s fiery nature that leads to technical fouls. Myers even sat with Green next door to Oracle Arena at the Oakland Coliseum when Green was suspended for that 2016 game.
In November 2018, Green was suspended by the Warriors for conduct detrimental to the team.
Green had secured a rebound in an overtime loss to the Clippers and with Kevin Durant calling for the ball Green instead dribbled the length of the court into traffic and lost control as the Warriors failed to get a shot off. Durant was shown on camera visibly upset. The two got into it afterward, according to reporters on the scene.
The 33-year-old didn’t apologize following Monday night’s incident, he said: ‘My leg got grabbed, second time in two nights.
‘Referees just watch it. I gotta land my foot somewhere, and I’m not the most flexible person so it’s not stretching that far.
‘I can only step so far with him pulling my leg away.
‘The explanation was I stomped too hard… I guess ankle grabbing is OK.’
Shaquille O’Neal defended Green, while Sabonis chose not to escalate the situation further.
‘I love the competition. I love the playoffs, the challenge in taking on the Warriors,’ Sabonis told reporters. ‘I got hit earlier in the game in the jaw there. So when I fell, I kinda was protecting myself.
‘Then obviously, the incident happened. I feel like there’s no room for that in our game today.’
He added: ‘I feel like it’s the playoffs. A lot of things happen. But at that point, I get pushed, I’m laying on the floor, I’m just trying to protect myself. Whatever happened, happened.’
Even though he had just gotten stepped on by Green, Sabonis had praise for him and his game.
‘No, he’s a great player,’ Sabonis admitted.
‘He comes and he competes. He’s the defending champion. We know it’s going to be a physical battle out there. So we’re just trying to do what we can to help my team win.’
Green is averaging six points, 6.5 rebounds and eight assists through Golden State’s first two playoff games against the Kings.
