"I f**ked that off": Draymond Green takes accountability for costly foul on Chet Holmgren in Warriors' OT loss
Draymond Green took accountability for fouling Chet Holmgren on a decisive play in the final seconds of the Golden State Warriors' 138-136 OT loss to OKC Thunder. The Warriors were up 118-115 with eight seconds left in regulation when Green fouled Holmgren beyond the arc.
The Thunder rookie sank the three free throws and tied the game, sending it into overtime. The Warriors, who were in the driver's seat to close the game in regulation, ended with another heartbreaking loss. Green didn't mince words about his foul, which he deemed a "mistake":
"Something we've been talking about a lot, fouling while we are up three," Draymond Green told reporters.
"So I was very hypersensitive to it, like I gotta foul, you don't want them to get a 3. I personally thought I got him [Holmgren] before he started his upward motion ... I saw the replay, too, and it's close as hell.
"Regardless of whether I did or didn't, if it's close, they are going to go with call on the floor. Call on the floor is three shots ... I f**ked that off. That’s a mistake a young guy should make, not a guy in his 12th year."
Draymond Green and the Warriors have been bugged by fans and critics for their refusal to foul players when up three points in the clutch. That's what teams do, but the Warriors have had a different approach.
The one time Golden State decided to do it, things proved costly as they ended with another loss where they should've gone on to win comfortably. Here's the foul committed by Draymond:
Draymond Green and Warriors commit a whopping 28 turnovers in OT loss to OKC
Draymond Green's foul at the end on Chet Holmgren proved costly. But that wasn't the sole reason behind the team's loss. The Warriors also committed 28 turnovers during the game, conceding 35 points off of them.
The Warriors have been a high turnover rate team under Steve Kerr's tenure, but Friday was a new low. Eight of the team's nine active players committed at least a couple. Andrew Wiggins had a team-high six, while Draymond and Klay Thompson had three apiece.
The Dubs gave up another big lead in a loss. They led by 14 points against the Thunder midway through the second quarter. However, the Warriors' 17 turnovers after that stage swung the momentum in the Thunder's favor.
OKC was struggling with making shots, but the Warriors gave it a lifeline with their lack of discipline. OKC shot 56.1% after allowing the Warriors a 14-point lead. The Thunder shot 43.8% up until that point.