Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green was sent off in the third quarter of Tuesday's 119-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Appearing to be jockeying for post position against Suns big man Jusuf Nurkić near the corner, Green spun around and struck Nurkić in the face with a wild right arm. Nurkić fell to the ground and remained there for about a minute.
Officials paused the game for a review, but it didn't last long. Green was thrown out and didn't even deny it. He ran straight to the locker room. The NBA is expected to assess the situation in the next 24 hours and will likely issue Green another suspension.
After the game, Green apologized to Nurkić. He said it was unintentional and that he was just trying to sell a foul by waving his arms around.
“As you know, I don’t apologize for things I wanted to do, but I do apologize to Yusuf. Because I didn’t intend to hit him,” Green said. “I sell calls with my arms.”
Green has a history of suspensions. In November, he was sidelined for five league games after he grabbed Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert by the neck in an “unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner.” It was the fifth suspension of his career.
What this means for warriors
At a delicate moment in their season, they could once again be without their best defender and emotional engine for a number of games. Green was sent off three times this season and was suspended for another five games following the chokehold on Gobert. He also missed the first two games of the season with a sprained ankle and another night for personal reasons.
So that's already 11 of the first 23 games that Green either missed completely or was eliminated while the competition part was still undecided. His absence has been a killer for a team that can't find a consistent rhythm. This is not expected to continue until after this latest league review. — Anthony Slater, Warriors writer
Could Green be suspended again?
Based on the NBA's latest justification for its five-game suspension, Green expects to play at least another five games. So the Warriors will have another extended period without their best defender and key facilitator.
However, the timing is right for Golden State on the court as Green's absence will mean more time for Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. The Warriors are at a crossroads with their championship core as they have not performed at the level expected. The young players, including freshman Brandin Podziemski, put pressure on coach Steve Kerr to get past them with their performance. Kerr even benched Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney early in the second half on Tuesday.
Without green, the redistribution takes about 30 minutes. That could also be good news for rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis, the third big man on the roster. – Marcus Thompson II, Bay Area senior columnist
Required reading
(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)