U.S. TODAY Sports
Dennis Schroder was a major contributor to the Los Angeles Lakers’ success this postseason. He was a key reserve for them for most of that playoff run, and on Friday he secured his first start in the playoffs as an adjustment to counter some of the Lakers’ offensive struggles against Golden State. However, his first start also saw his first postseason elimination when Schroder was knocked out of Game 6 against Golden State.
Schroeder suffered his first technical foul in the first quarter of Game 6. Officials usually try to avoid a second technical foul when possible, but in the third quarter Schroeder was involved in an incident with Golden State forward Draymond Green. Although it’s unclear what prompted this, Green shoved the basketball in Schroder’s face. Both were counted technical fouls but Schroder had already committed one and was thrown out of the game.
Green has already been eliminated from one playoff game and suspended for another this postseason after kicking Sacramento Kings big man Domantas Sabonis in the chest in the first round. As justification for the suspension, the league cited his personal history of being involved in such incidents and based on what we can see in the videos it looks like he was the only player to have a tech committed a reasonable offence.
Of course, officers on the field see and hear things that cameras don’t always catch. Something must have gotten Schroder kicked out, and so the Lakers, who led all of Game 6, have to finish this game without him.