NBA Makes Decision on Draymond Green’s Flagrant 2 Foul vs. Grizzlies

Green was ejected during Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

No matter the circumstance, Warriors forward Draymond Green somehow always finds himself at the center of the action. During Sunday’s Game 1 against the Grizzlies, it was for another ejection and controversial play.

Green was issued a Flagrant 2 foul after he pulled Memphis forward Brandon Clarke down by his jersey while Clarke was going up for a layup. On Monday, the league said it would not reduce the Flagrant 2 decision after reviewing the play, per Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

After the game, crew chief Kane Fitzgerald explained the officials’s reasoning for issuing the Flagrant 2, calling Green’s actions “unnecessary and excessive.”

“Well, there’s a couple things. The first part was the wind up and significant contact to the face, and then the pull down from the jersey grab and throwdown to the floor to an airborne vulnerable player makes that unnecessary and excessive,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s what led to the flagrant foul penalty two.”

Green saw things much differently, as he explained on his podcast on Sunday evening.

“One thing about that foul is that I actually tried to hold him up,” Green said. “Guys were told that I was ejected for throwing him down, which is interesting because even once he hit the ground I was still holding his jersey up. At this point, I kind of expect things like that.”

“I’ve been suspended from Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Do you think for one second don’t believe I would get get kicked out of Game 1 of the second round? Not surprising to me at all, not one bit.”