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USATSI

Draymond Green has been suspended for Game 3 of the first-round series between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings, the NBA announced Tuesday night. The league's statement added that the suspension was "based in part on Green's history of unsportsmanlike acts." The Athletic's Shams Charania initially reported that Green was unlikely to be suspended, but that Green was expected to be fined. 

The suspension is the result of an incident that took place in the fourth quarter of Monday's Game 2 between the Warriors and Kings. After a missed Malik Monk floater, Kings center Domantas Sabonis grabbed Green's leg, and in retaliation, Green stomped on his chest. He was immediately ejected from the game, while Sabonis was assessed a flagrant-1 foul.

NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars told ESPN on Wednesday that Green's status as a "repeat offender" weighed into the decision.

"Here's what it came down to: Excessive and over-the-top actions, conduct detrimental and a repeat offender. That's what separates this where you end up with a suspension," Dumars said.

This is far from the first instance of postseason discipline for Green. He was infamously suspended during the 2016 NBA Finals, when Green received a flagrant-1 foul at the end of Game 4 for hitting LeBron James in the groin. That was his third flagrant foul point of the postseason, triggering an automatic suspension for Game 5 of the Finals. The Warriors lost that game and ultimately the series. 

He was suspended in March of this season after committing his 16th technical foul, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension. Green was also ejected from Game 1 of Golden State's series against the Memphis Grizzlies last season after fouling Brandon Clarke on a layup attempt. He has fouled out of 12 playoff games in his career.

This has been a controversial season for Green all around. It began when he punched teammate Jordan Poole at training camp and had to take a leave of absence from the team. Green, who can become a free agent this offseason, is reportedly seeking a long-term contract extension from the Warriors. Poole received a four-year extension that could be worth up to $140 million. Ironically, before the postseason began, Green pegged the Kings as his preferred first-round matchup, though he cited the short travel between San Francisco and Sacramento as the reason for that.

The Kings now lead this series 2-0, and with Green now sidelined, the Warriors have an uphill climb in front of them. Green is a future Hall of Famer and a critical part of the most successful stretch in Warriors history, but given his age, stylistic limitations, contract demands and series of controversies, it's now worth wondering if Game 4 could be his final home game as a member of the Warriors.