With just under nine minutes left in the second quarter the score was tied at 40; OKC led by 25 at the half.
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The NBA decided not to suspend Draymond Green for kicking Steven Adams in Game 3. I knew the league was going to let him play or fine him or upgrade him to a Flagrant 2. Green was driving to the net when Adams appeared to foul him.
“During a game, players – at times – flail their legs in an attempt to draw a foul”, VanDeWeghe added.
Naturally, Twitter was ablaze with memes poking fun at the moment, which was assessed as a Flagrant 1 foul.
The decision was controversial, especially considering that Cavaliers forward Dahntay Jones was suspended one game a day earlier for a similar move to Raptors center Bismack Biyombo. Green was the worst player on the court in the 133-105 loss which puts the Warriors behind again, suggesting that everything achieved in the regular season, including breaking the 1996 Bulls win-loss record, could go down the drain very soon. I would sure hope Green wouldn’t do something like that on objective, especially after it happened once already.
Perhaps the play wouldn’t have drawn so much attention if Green hadn’t kneed Adams in the same spot in Game 2.
He’s looking right at Adams when he’s delivering the “kick”.
For a second straight game, Green wasn’t himself.
But Kevin Durant isn’t surprised by the news.
The real problem, I think, was what happened after the game. That’s two times in the last two games. “He’s pretty accurate. Honestly I think it’s intentional”.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr disagreed. “I don’t know how to flop”, Westbrook stress. “Things like that happen all the time”. Russell Westbrook kicks his feet out on every 3, and there is contact.
“I said, ‘Scott, how am I getting a flagrant because my leg went in the air trying to follow through on a shot?’ He said, ‘Draymond, I’m not saying it’s intentional. I said OK, that’s understandable”. “I think it should be rescinded”.
By the end of the game, it became clear that Green’s response in wake of the criticism for a kick he said was unintentional was a lackluster one.
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On Monday, Green backhandedly blamed Westbrook for the referee’s treatment. But I don’t even think I should’ve got a flagrant.
