Telling reporters that his kick to Steven Adams' groin area was unintentional, Draymond Green was remorseful after Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. That attitude carried over to Green's Undefeated diary, where he offered a more formal apology to Adams while also breaking down the play using physics:
I would tell [Adams], 'My bad. I didn't try to do something like that.' Honestly, I wanted to go up to him during the game and say that. But I know what type of competitor he is and I think I know how he would react. If he would have reacted the way I thought he would have reacted, I know what that would have done to me, as well. I just kind of erred on the side of not saying anything and was hopeful I may catch him after the game.
I didn't intentionally kick him down there. Whether he believes me or not, which I don't think he will and wouldn't in the moment, which is why I didn't say anything. I would definitely apologize and I look forward to apologizing to him, if I see him.
I'm kind of upset about this, 'Will he get suspended or will he not?' It's just frustrating. Obviously, I hit [Adams] there in Game 2. But can anyone possibly say that was intentional. People might look at that and say, 'He did it then -- he tried to do [it again].' Would I be that obvious, if I'm trying to do it?'
...
If a guy takes the ball over to the left and gets fouled trying to go up left, your body is hit left and the right side goes up -- physics. You hit something on one side the other side goes up. I learned that in physics. I didn't know it happened. That's how intentional it was. I didn't even know I did it.
The NBA will be reviewing the play to determine if Green should be suspended for Game 4. The Warriors didn't seem that concerned on Monday, though. Golden State coach Steve Kerr doesn't think Green should be suspended, mainly because there wasn't any intent, and also said that the NBA is "rampant with flailing" and flopping which caused the low blow. Green shared a similar stance but also called out Thunder star Russell Westbrook for his postgame comments.
Westbrook said after Game 3 that Green did intentionally kick Adams and it seems like the Warriors All-Star big man took offense to that:
Draymond on the kick: "Russell said I did it intentionally, but he's part of the superstar group that started all this acting in the NBA."
— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) May 23, 2016
Draymond Green: "Russell Westbrook kicked me at the end of the half. He just didn't happen to catch me where I caught Steven Adams."
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 23, 2016
Westbrook wasn't that amused by Green's comments but understand where the Warriors big man was coming from:
Russell Westbrook on the Draymond comment about him flailing his legs: "He's trying to take the heat of himself"
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 23, 2016
"I've never been fined for a flop. ... I don't know how to flop." Russell Westbrook responds to Draymond Green
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 23, 2016
As if the Western Conference finals couldn't get any more interesting, now Green could further stroke a fire in Westbrook, who has been playing exceptionally well throughout the series. Game 4 on Tuesday should be quite the showdown.
