NBA playoffs: Draymond Green says he was suspended for 'a flagrant two that happened 7 years ago' after Kings stomp
The NBA specifically cited Draymond Green's past history when it suspended him one game for stomping on 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.
Speaking about the suspension for the first time on his "Draymond Green Show" podcast, Green implied he was suspended primarily because of his infamous groin kick in the 2016 NBA playoffs and laid some blame for his actions on his treatment from the Sacramento crowd:
"I never knew you could be suspended for a flagrant two that happened seven years ago. And I also didn’t know you could get suspended for interacting with a crowd that’s flipping you double birds and yelling your name and chants that you suck. I didn’t know that either. Saying that, my guys played well.
"I can’t say I really enjoyed the game quite frankly. Being suspended from a game at this point in my career, it will never affect me from an emotional standpoint outside of … not being able to participate in that dogfight."
That flagrant two was when Green kicked Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams in the groin in the Western Conference finals. That postseason proved to be a legacy-maker for Green in a bad way, as he was also suspended from Game 5 of the NBA Finals after accruing four flagrant fouls in the playoffs.
This time, Green's suspension was controversial, as many believed Sabonis deserved some blame for grabbing Green's leg from the ground and the NBA conceded it heavily weighed Green's repeat offender status while considering his discipline.
Since he entered the league in 2012, Green has recorded 163 technical fouls, 17 ejections and four suspensions in the regular season plus six flagrant fouls and 27 technical fouls in 147 playoffs games, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Fortunately for Green and the Warriors, his absence didn't stop the team from taking Game 3 and posting its best defensive performance of the series, for which he effusively praised nearly every Warriors player to see a minute during his podcast.
Green is now on track to return to the Warriors for Game 4 on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at the Chase Center.
Draymond Green on Joel Embiid's kick: 'I don't care'
Green's suspension loomed large Thursday, when Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid delivered his own groin kick, or at least a kick near the groin, during Game 3 of the Sixers' series against the Brooklyn Nets.
Embiid received a flagrant one but was not ejected for the kick. Later, however, Sixers teammate James Harden and Nets center Nic Claxton both had their nights ended early in a bizarre game. Harden was found to have hit Nets wing Royce O'Neale with a low blow, while Claxton got a second technical foul for taunting Embiid after a dunk.
Many compared the Embiid incident to the one that got Green ejected and suspended, but Green wasn't interested in any comparisons. He said none of Embiid, Harden or Claxton should have been ejected:
"If I can give you my honest opinion, I don’t care. One thing you’re not going to see me say, ‘Man, this guy did that and he didn’t get this.’ That ain’t me. I don’t roll like that. No. 1, I’m never in favor of seeing a player get suspended. I’m never in favor of seeing a player get kicked out of a game. So buck stops there. What you won’t get from me is the victim.
"I told you all last year I’m treated differently. It’s a badge of honor. I’m not the same as all these dudes. I’m different, and different equals championships, so you take the good with the bad. You gotta live with it, but what I won’t do is get on here like, ‘Man, Joel should have been suspended!’ That’s wack. ‘James should have been kicked!’ That’s wack, it’s playoff basketball. ‘Nic Claxton should have been kicked!’ That’s wack, it’s playoff basketball."
The NBA has at least decided not to suspend any of those players. The Sixers, currently up 3-0 and on the verge of a sweep, will face the Nets in Game 4 on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, TNT).
