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Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green was ejected in the third quarter of Tuesday’s 119-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Green appeared to be fighting for the upper hand against Suns big man Jusuf Nurkić near the corner, spinning around and jabbing Nurkić in the face with a wild right hand. Nurkić went down in a heap and sat down for a minute.
The officials stopped the game for an evaluation but it didn’t last long. Green was ejected and not contested. He ran straight to the locker room. The NBA is expected to review the situation in the next 24 hours and Green may be handed another suspension.
After the game, Green apologized to Nurkić. He said it was unintentional and he was just trying to sell something bad by slapping his hands.
“As you know, I am not one to apologize for what I planned to do, but I apologize to Jusuf. Because I didn’t expect to hit him,” said Green. “I sell phones in my hands.”
Green has a history of suspensions. In November he was suspended for five league games after he grabbed Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert by the neck “in an unpleasant and dangerous manner.” This is the fifth suspension of his work.
What this means for the Warriors
At a juncture in their season, they could once again be without their best defensive and emotional starter for a string of games. Green has been ejected three times this season and suspended for another five games after choking Gobert. He also missed the first two games of the season with an ankle sprain and another night due to a personal issue.
Green has now missed 11 of the first 23 games or been ejected before the division was decided. His absence was a killer for a team that couldn’t find a consistent rhythm. It is only expected to continue after the league’s new review. – Anthony Slater, Warriors writer
Could Green face another stoppage?
Based on the NBA’s final reason for his five-game suspension, Green is looking at at least another five games. Now the Warriors will have another extended period without their best defense and key player.
However, the timing is perfect for Golden State on the court as Green’s absence will free up more time for Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. The Warriors are at a crossroads with their championship title as they haven’t been producing as expected. The young players, including Brandin Podziemski, are encouraging coach Steve Kerr to play them in their production. Kerr even benched Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney to start the second half on Tuesday.
If there is no Green, it takes about 30 minutes to redistribute. That could also be good news for rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis, the third-best man on the roster. — Marcus Thompson II, senior Bay Area reporter
Required reading
(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)