18 April 2023 , 17:50
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Draymond Green defended his stamp on a Sacramento Kings player during the NBA Playoffs.
During the fourth quarter of the second game of the Golden State Warriors ' first round matchup, with the Sacramento Kings winning 97-81, there was a collision between Green and Domantas Sabonis, sending the latter to the ground. The four-time NBA Champion then seemed to stomp on the chest of the Kings player after he wrapped his arms around the Warriors star’s leg. As a result, the 33-year-old was given a flagrant foul and automatically ejected, with Sabonis called for a technical foul.
In typical Green fashion fashion, he riled up the crowd as boos and jeers rained down from the stands moments before he was ordered to leave the game. ESPN reporter Marc J Spears claimed the power forward asked for an X-ray on his right ankle after the game. He added that Green believes the injury came when Sabonis grabbed his ankle before the stomp.
Commenting on the incident, Green said: “My leg got grabbed. The second time in two nights with the referees just watching [Green says Malik Monk grabbed his leg in front of the official in Game 1]. I got to land my foot somewhere and I am 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 was I stomped too hard," Green said when asked what the referees had told him. "It was Monk last game so either you're going to stop it. Jon Goble was looking at Monk hold my leg the last game and he just let it go and Zach (Zarba) was clearly watching my leg get held this game and let it go, so I guess ankle grabbing is okay."
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Sabonis meanwhile, who registered 24 points, four assists and nine rebounds, downplayed the incident post-match. "We're both fighting for the rebound. We fell on each other,” he told TNT. “Stuff happens. It's basketball. We got to move on to the next play." Klay Thompson assessed the incident and condemned Sabonis for grabbing his teammate’s foot.
Green taunted the Sacramento crowd moments before he was ejected from the game (AP)“What are you going to do when someone grabs your foot when you’re running full speed?,” the shooting guard said. “That’s a dirty play, fully grabs your foot and yanks on you, that’s not cool, man.
“I’m not saying what Draymond did was right, but, like, you can’t just grab somebody’s foot when they’re taking off in a full sprint, that’s not cool. I don’t do that. That’s crazy.”
The Warriors have some serious work to do after losing the hectic game 114 - 106 and have now gone 2-0 down in the series. This is the first time they have lost the first two games of a playoff series since the Steph Curry era began.
There is significant pressure on the defending champions to defend home court when they contest games three and four at the Chase Center later this week.