It’s not the way the Warriors won a record 73 regular-season games, or won the title last season, or believed they would wind their way to back-to-back championships. Oklahoma City reasserted its dominance on the glass on Sunday, outrebounding Golden State 52-38.
Advertisement
The Golden State Warriors need a win here to force a game six on Saturday night.
Following the Warriors’ Game 3 loss to the Thunder on Sunday night, Draymond Green defended himself and reiterated he did not intentionally kick Steven Adams below the belt.
“Honestly, I think it’s intentional”, he said.
You guys know the deal, as I was backing the Thunder before the rest of the country started to figure out OKC was the real deal.
Klay Thompson led Golden State with 26 points, but two-time league MVP Stephen Curry was limited to 19 points on 6-for-20 shooting.
Golden State will have Draymond Green at its disposal after the National Basketball Association decided not to suspend Green for his kick to Steven Adams’ groin in the second quarter of the Thunder’s 133-105 Game 3 shellacking. In Game 3 he was 1 of 9 from the field with four turnovers.
Kevin Durant poured in 33 points, and Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds – all in three quarters. Thompson committed his third foul with 7:55 left in the second quarter, and C Andrew Bogut committed his third about two minutes later….
Adams, from New Zealand, said it wasn’t the first time Green has landed a shot to his kiwis.
“How he had kicked him…it wasn’t called for”, said Ashley Murphy.
Green said an official told him that while he didn’t think there was intent behind the kick, that the hit on the groin warranted a flagrant foul. “If I come punch you in your head, I probably did that on objective because I’m going to intentionally use my arm”, Green said Monday. “Stuff like that happens all the time”.
“I followed through on a shot”, he said. “Someone wants to have kids one day, I’m not trying to stop that”, he said.
Westbrook wasn’t thrilled with Green’s comments, calling Green’s foul on the 3-pointer a “dumb play on his part”.
After carefully reviewing tape of the kick over and over (and over!) again and speaking with Golden State and Oklahoma City players and coaches, the National Basketball Association has decided that it will not suspend Green for Game 4 of the WCF series, according to Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“If you’re playing around the basket, you have more of a likelihood and opportunity to get to the free throw line”.
The Thunder responded by handing the Warriors one of their worst losses of the season and worst playoff loss since 2014.
Advertisement
Curry shot 4 for 13 in the first half, Thompson went 5 for 14 and Green 1 for 8.
