Draymond Green isn’t making many friends in Memphis to start the Warriors’ series against the Grizzlies.
Early in Tuesday night’s Game 2, Green caught an elbow to the face from Memphis center Xavier Tillman, going down in a heap as the Grizzlies went up the floor with the ball. He had to leave the game.
He had a message for the home fans as he went into the locker room, though. As fans booed Green while he exited the floor, he let the double birds fly, and was very unapologetic when speaking to the media after the fact.
“You’re gonna boo somebody who they elbowed in the eye and face is running (with) blood, you should get flipped off,” Green said. “I’ll take the fine. I’ll go do an appearance and make up the money. But it felt really good to flip ’em off … If they’re going to be that nasty, I will be nasty too. I’m assuming the cheers was because they know I’ll be fined. Great, I make $25 million a year, I should be just fine.”
Green would return to play 32 minutes for Golden State, scoring six points and adding 10 rebounds and seven assists in the 106–101 loss.
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Grizzlies star Ja Morant took over the game, leading all scorers with 47 points, along with eight rebounds and eight assists in the win, which evened the series at 1–1.
The series has been a chippy one for Green already. He was ejected after a controversial flagrant-2 foul in Game 1, a 117–116 Warriors win, and defended his own style of play afterward.
“I am never going to change the way I play basketball,” he said Monday. “It’s gotten me this far. Gotten me three championships, four All-Stars, Defensive Player of the Year. I’m not going to change now.”
Game 3 between the two Western Conference teams is set for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
More NBA Coverage:
- Ja Morant Delivers Superstar Performance as Grizzlies Even Series Against Warriors
- Celtics Swing Back to Even Series With Bucks
- Boston Celtics Tie Eastern Conference Semifinals Against Giannis and the Bucks in Boston
- Inside The Warriors: Draymond Green Explains Middle Fingers to Memphis Fans After Elbow to the Face
For more Golden State Warriors coverage, go to Inside The Warriors.
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