Facing possible suspension, Draymond Green defends himself -- again
Draymond Green reiterates that he didn't kick Steven Adams on purpose, and says Russell Westbrook started it
By
Ken Berger
•
3 min read
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors reported for a light practice and film session Monday, with one swift kick and its potential consequences hovering over them.
Coach Steve Kerr said the interview process with the league office about the review of Green's flagrant-1 for kicking Steven Adams in the groin had yet to take place. Green reiterated that the contact wasn't intentional, and offered more details and context about the incident that has him facing a possible suspension for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday.
He also took aim at Thunder star Russell Westbrook, who said after the Thunder's 133-105 blowout in Game 3 Sunday night that he believed Green's contact with Adams was intentional.
"Russell said I did it on purpose, but he's part of the superstar group that started all this acting in the NBA," Green said. "I didn't."
He went on.
"Russell Westbrook kicked me at the end of the half," Green said, referring to a foul he committed on Westbrook's 3-point attempt in the closing seconds of the second quarter. "He just didn't happen to catch me where I happened to catch Steven Adams at. So, no, I'm not bracing for the worst."
Westbrook responded.
"He fouled me at the end of the quarter," he said. "That was just a dumb play on his part. That wasn't my fault."
As for Green's accusation that Westbrook is an actor ... Westbrook didn't care for that comment.
"I've never been fined for one flop since I've been playing in the NBA," Westbrook said. "So, I don't know about no flopping or nothing. I don't know how to flop. Seems like he was the one that was failing and kicking his legs yesterday. It wasn't me."
The league's review of the flagrant, which is standard procedure for all such infractions, was under way Monday. Joe Borgia, the NBA's VP of replay and referee operations, said on NBA TV Sunday night that a decision would be made prior to Game 4.
Based on all of the circumstances -- the nature of the play, the delay between Adams' personal foul on Green and the acceleration of his right leg after the play was essentially dead -- here's my prediction.
Again, it's only a prediction, but an informed one based on consulting with multiple parties on all sides of the issue.
The sensible compromise is for the league to upgrade Green's flagrant to a penalty-2, with no further discipline. In this way, the league can say that the contact was unnecessary and excessive -- the criteria for a flagrant-2 -- but won't be able to determine whether it was intentional.
While a flagrant-2 called by the officials on the floor would've resulted in an automatic ejection, there's no way to go back retroactively and address that. But there would be consequences for Green and the Warriors if this were the outcome: Green would be one flagrant point away from an automatic one-game suspension, so he'll have to be on his best behavior from here on out.
"He needs to refocus a little bit," Kerr said. "He'll admit it, it was not one of his best games; in fact, it was one of his worst. The great thing with Draymond is, he always turns it around. He's one of the great competitors we have in the league and on our team. And when things aren't looking great, he usually plays his best."
Green also clarified what crew chief Scott Foster told him after the play had been reviewed.
"He said, 'Draymond, I'm not saying it was intentional,'" Green said. "'Honestly, I don't think it was intentional at all. But you caught him in the groin area, so I have to give you a flagrant.' I didn't argue with him. I said, 'OK, that's understandable.'"
Kerr again said he believes the flagrant should be rescinded upon review by the league office, and blamed the NBA culture of flopping and flailing.
"There's a lot of flailing, a lot of flopping," Kerr said. "This league is rampant with guys flailing arms and legs trying to get fouls. Every game you watch, people are doing that and sometimes that can lead to contact."
Sometimes, in the nether regions.
