Taking advantage of Draymond Green's suspension in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers began their momentous and historic comeback by winning that game and the next two to win the 2016 NBA championship. Green's suspension was the result of accumulating too many flagrant foul points, yet for him he still wonders why he exactly got suspended.
In his diary for Undefeated, Green told ESPN's Marc Spears that he doesn't really think about the Finals anymore but wonders why he was suspended in Game 5:
"I don't really think about [the Finals] at all, honestly. It is what it is. What happened is gone to me. I've learned from things from the Finals and continue to push ahead.
"If someone walks over me, I'm going to always react. I still look at the play and wonder, 'Why was I suspended?' To each his own. It's out of my control. But I just won't put myself in that position.
"I wouldn't say [it affected my friendship with LeBron James]. Basketball is basketball. We've never been ones to talk on the phone every day. But it's neither here nor there. There are no hard feelings there, but I can only speak for me.
"I'm over it already. I'll never forget it. You can't change it. I try not to worry about things you can't change. And I know I can't change that, but I'll never forget it. But I'm all the way over it.
Green contradicts himself several times here. He keeps saying that he is over the Finals but will never forget the series and his suspension.
Of course, Green shouldn't really wonder about his suspension. In Game 4, he seemingly hit LeBron James in the groin area, which officials deemed was a Flagrant Foul 1. The NBA then reviewed the altercation and upheld it. And since Green had too many flagrant fouls in the playoffs, he was suspended for Game 5. It is pretty cut and dry.
But you can understand why Green is conflicted about the Finals. His suspension played a role in the Warriors losing Game 5 and then they historically gave up a 3-1 Finals lead to lose the series. That is hard to forget and while Green is trying to put it behind him, his suspension and the memory of losing in the Finals is still on his mind.
