The Golden State Warriors suffered a 114-106 defeat to the Sacramento Kings in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. The game was marred by the ejection of Draymond Green, who stomped on Kings forward Domantas Sabonis’ chest after Sabonis fell to the floor and grabbed Green’s leg. The incident was deemed an automatic ejection and a Flagrant 2 foul by the referees.
After the game, fans took to social media to express their thoughts on Green’s actions. One fan in particular, @WarriorsTalk, slammed Green for his behavior on the court, writing: “Draymond acting like he got his foot caught in a bear trap. This dude has no class. Sabonis grabbed his leg, but he didn’t have to stomp on him like that. He deserved to get ejected. The refs made the right call.”
Green, for his part, defended his actions, stating that his leg had been grabbed for the second time in two nights and that he had to land his foot somewhere. He also criticized the officials for not doing more to protect him. “Referees just watch it. I gotta land my foot somewhere, and I’m not the most flexible person so it’s not stretching that far. I can only step so far and pulling my leg away, so it is what it is. The explanation [from the officials for the ejection] was I stomped too hard.”
The incident between Green and Sabonis was the second altercation between the two players in as many games. In Game 1, Green sat on Sabonis to prevent him from getting back into the play on the other end of the floor.
Despite the drama on the court, Sabonis took a mature approach to the situation in his post-game interview. “It’s playoff basketball,” Sabonis said. “Look at the fans, this is it. We’re here to fight. Every time we step on the floor we’re gonna give everything for our teammates and the franchise. We’re both fighting for the rebound. We fell on each other, stuff happens, it’s basketball, we gotta move on, next play.”
Green’s ejection had a significant impact on the Warriors’ performance in Game 2. They were outscored 23-19 down the stretch after Green left the game, and he finished with eight points, four rebounds, five assists, and five turnovers.
Draymond Green: history of postseason ejections and suspensions
This is not the first time that Green has been ejected from a postseason game. He was also tossed from Game 1 of the Warriors’ second-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies last season for fouling and then throwing down Brandon Clarke.
Green was also infamously suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 Finals for his low blow on LeBron James, an incident that likely cost the Warriors the championship that season.
Green’s history of postseason ejections and suspensions has led many fans and analysts to question his on-court behavior. While some argue that Green’s intensity and passion are what make him a valuable player, others believe that he needs to control his emotions and avoid unnecessary confrontations with other players.
As the Warriors head into Game 3 of their series against the Kings, it remains to be seen how Green’s ejection will impact the team’s performance. They will need to rally together and put the incident behind them if they hope to come out on top and advance to the next round of the playoffs.
