Draymond Green Suspended for Game 3 After Stomping on Kings’ Sabonis

The league announced its decision Tuesday night before Thursday’s Game 3 between the Warriors and Kings.

Warriors forward Draymond Green was suspended without pay by the NBA Tuesday night for Game 3 of Golden State’s first-round playoff series against the Kings following his flagrant-2 foul against Kings center Domantas Sabonis during Game 2.

With 7:03 remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 2 against Sacramento on Monday, Green was ejected for stomping on Sabonis’s chest after the Kings forward fell to the ground in the paint, where he wrapped his arms around Green’s ankle. Referees gave Green a flagrant-2 foul, meaning he was automatically ejected, while Sabonis was assessed a technical foul.

Now, Green will miss Game 3 on Thursday at the Chase Center with the Warriors down 2–0 in a playoff series for the first time during the Steph Curry era. The decision was made by executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars, with the league stating Green’s suspension came from his “history of unsportsmanlike acts.”

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/KEnWx2qTvs

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 19, 2023

After Monday’s loss, Green said his reaction to Sabonis was partially because there was a history between the pair.

“My leg got grabbed,” Green said. “Second time in two nights. Referees, just watch it.”

The news of Green’s suspension comes as a slight surprise. Earlier Wednesday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that it was unlikely that the Warriors forward would be suspended for Game 3. Instead, only a fine was reportedly expected for Green. 

The Warriors will have to avoid falling into a 3–0 deficit, which an NBA team has never recovered from in postseason history, without their emotional leader and top defender.