Draymond Green Suspended Without Pay vs. Hawks After Verbal Confrontation With Kevin Durant
Draymond Green has been suspended without pay for Tuesday's game against Atlanta after the Warriors forward got in a heated exchange with Kevin Durant during Monday's overtime loss to the Clippers, the Warriors announced.
According to the release, Green's suspension is for "conduct detrimental to the team" and is the immediate fallout to the forward's verbal confrontation with Durant, which eventually spilled into the locker room after the game. The exchange started after Green collected a rebound with six seconds left and instead of passing to Durant, who was calling for the ball, turned the ball over with the game on the line. The Warriors eventually lost the game 121–116 in overtime, their second defeat in the last three games.
Green reportedly called Durant "a b----" repeatedly after Durant called him out on the decision. Green also reportedly challenged Durant about the two-time Finals MVP's impending free agency.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com, the shouting match in the locker room after the game was "one of the most intense" scenes of this current era of Warriors basketball. The altercation did not get physical, but Green's vigorous defense of himself helped increase the volume in the room.
Yahoo Sports insider Chris Haynes reported that the Warriors felt Green "cut too deep in his disagreement with Durant," leading to his suspension.