The Golden State Warriors will be short-handed at the Chase Center on Thursday night for Game 3 against the Sacramento Kings, as Draymond Green will be serving a one-game suspension following an incident in Game 2 involving Domantas Sabonis.
Green was ejected in the fourth quarter after appearing to stomp on the chest of Sabonis, who had wrapped his arms around Green’s leg. The Warriors went on to lose Game 2 to fall into an 0-2 series deficit.
NBA executive Joe Dumars said Wednesday that Green’s “excessive and over-the-top actions” on the court, along with his history of infractions, led to his suspension.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said that he wasn’t surprised that Green was suspended, but went on to blast the NBA for taking such an action in a playoff series.
“I’m disgusted with the NBA this morning. I’m sick and tired of everybody acting like this is just another game.
It’s not just another game. It’s a playoff game. You’ve got to do something far more flagrant than this to be suspended.
Now, just for the record. I was on the phone with the league office this morning. Their position is clear. It was the excessiveness of the stomp, how demonstrative it was by Draymond Green, and it was also history. They took those two things into consideration.”
Smith went on to accuse the NBA of “capitulating” to public pressure to take action against Green.
“I think it’s the NBA acquiescing and capitulating to a lot of the public noise out there on too many damn occasions that influences decisions like this. Which I think is atrocious.
There’s no reason for Draymond Green to be suspended for this game. I’m not surprised, I expected it. And in that regard, that’s where I hold Draymond Green accountable – because if I know what the league is going to do, he damn sure knew it.”
