Draymond Green Can’t Take the Bait, but His Ejection Was Punishment Enough

The Warriors can’t afford for their provocateur to fall for the sort of tricks he likes to employ, but it’d be a shame for his suspension to decide this series.

As a Draymond Green fan and apologist, it brings me no pleasure to say this: Green was unequivocally wrong for his stomp, jump and eventual flagrant 2 foul at the expense of Domantas Sabonis in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ Game 2 loss to the Kings on Monday. It may have cost Golden State the game. And it’s possible that foul alone could have serious ramifications for the rest of the series, which the Dubs currently trail 0–2.

The play in question was bizarre. After a missed shot by Sacramento, Sabonis crashed to the ground after fighting for an offensive rebound. He landed at Green’s feet, and then meekly but plainly wrapped his arms around Green’s right foot. Draymond responded by rather exaggeratedly stomping on Sabonis’s torso after releasing his foot from Sabonis’s grip, and then basically used Sabonis’s body as a launching pad before trying to get back into the play.

Draymond Green stomps on Domantas Sabonis.

He was hit with a flagrant 2 foul and ejected. pic.twitter.com/gYWvNO9lHR

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 18, 2023

Was Sabonis in the wrong for grabbing Green’s foot? Yes, absolutely. Did Draymond stomp in retaliation? Sure. That doesn’t matter, though. Green of all people needs to know that opponents will be trying to needle him in every way possible. And part of the challenge of the postseason is keeping your composure in those moments.

Sabonis maybe should have received an equal penalty to Green. Nonetheless, the rules are clear. Green’s reaction absolutely warranted his ejection from the game. And it greatly benefited the Kings. After scoring eight points in the first five minutes of the fourth, Sacramento racked up 23 in the final seven with Draymond in the locker room.

No player has more technical fouls than Green over the past five seasons :: Randall Benton/AP

Green himself is no stranger to extracurricular activities during the playoffs. He is constantly in people’s faces, either yelling, flexing or aggressively clapping. Obviously these are not the same as getting physically involved with a player in a manner that could hurt them. But—once more for emphasis, BUT—Green understands the art of trying to take players out of their game. From the opening tip he’s engaging in mental warfare with everyone from the players on the floor, to the refs, to the fans in the stands. Green knows the value of trying to get inside someone’s head. (He’s also taken a few questionable fouls in his day, too.) And opponents know Dray is always on edge, which means they will be willing to push the envelope if they can push Green over the line. Is it cheap? Yeah, probably. But it’s also the reality of the situation, and Draymond has to be prepared for it.

I love Green specifically for his attitude. He plays on the absolute razor’s edge of chaos and costly, and 99% of the time he manages to stay on the right side of the line. What makes him great is what makes situations like Monday night possible. You can’t ask someone like Green to tone it down or turn it off. The same aggressiveness that may lead to the occasional ejection is the same aggressiveness that’s responsible for arguably the best defense in NBA history, the ability to step up in high-pressure situations and ultimately what’s made him an invaluable contributor to four championship teams. 

Still, Green has to have enough awareness not to let his emotions get the best of him. If he exaggerates the contact from the foot grab and hits the floor—not unlike Sabonis did, who looked like he took a punch from prime Mike Tyson—maybe it’s Sabonis who is being thrown out of the game. This is clearly way easier written from the comfort of your home than during an NBA game. But it’s the playoffs! It’s not supposed to be easy! And this is far from Green’s first rodeo.

The Kings will continue to try to bait Green as this series continues. Unfortunately for the Warriors, it’s proved to be an effective strategy. These kinds of antics will always be a part of the playoffs, when teams will look for any possible advantage to help them win when the stakes are so high. Green is 33, an 11-year vet who has been through several deep postseason runs. He has to know what’s coming and respond accordingly.

For now, this series is far from over. While Green’s absence hurt the Warriors down the stretch, it was still only a one-point game with under three minutes to go. Golden State is not at all finished. Moving forward, my hope is Green is not suspended. This series is too good not to be decided by anything other than the players on the floor. But it’s Green’s responsibility—and his alone—to make sure he can stay on it.