Why the Draymond Green suspension was unwarranted
Draymond Green will miss Game 3 for the Golden State Warriors after stepping on Domantas Sabonis.
SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green will miss the third game against the Sacramento Kings as the NBA suspended the Golden State Warriors forward after an on-court incident in which Sabonis stepped on Kings forward Domantas Sabonis and collided with Kings fans on the sidelines, while the referees reviewed the game.
The NBA also noted that it took prior incidents into account when punishing Green.
In a bonus edition of the Locked On Warriors podcast, host Cyrus Saatsaz was joined by guest Eric Price to discuss the suspension and its fairness.
“To meddle in the game of basketball with this suspension … is utter madness,” Saatsaz said of the unprecedented move.
SUBSCRIBE to the Locked On Warriors Podcast, the daily podcast about the Golden State Warriors
The Locked On Podcast Network has a podcast for EVERY NBA team DAILY!
At the same time, Sabonis, who could be seen with his arms around Green’s feet before Green stepped on him, received the lesser penalty during the match with Flagrant One than Green’s Flagrant Two, and Sabonis was not suspended.
“What Sabonis did was outrageous,” Price said. “There were several different acts that had nothing to do with basketball.”
Green is known for playing the game with high levels of emotion that sometimes boiled over, particularly during game four of the 2016 NBA Finals when he received a foul that resulted in the Warriors losing game five of a series missed lost.
“He’s just a little different from a lot of other people, and when he’s playing basketball, he just wears his heart on his sleeve,” Saatsaz said. “It doesn’t mean he should be punished for it, and [in Game Three] he was instigated.”
Without Green, the Warriors remain favorites at home against Sacramento, but a loss would pretty much seal the streak in the Kings’ favor.
“This is a dynasty that the Golden State Warriors have and now they’re taking away a significant part by inserting the NBA into the series,” Price said.
Game Three picks drop Thursday at 10:00 p.m. ET.
