Jay Williams believes Domantas Sabonis was equally at fault in altercation with Draymond Green
Draymond Green stomped on Domantas Sabonis’ chest during the fourth quarter of Game 2 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series on Monday.
The Sacramento Kings dominated the Golden State Warriors 114-106 to take a 2-0 series lead. Domantas Sabonis was everywhere and De’Aaron Fox also continued his impressive play after scoring 38 points in Game 1. Both players finished with 24 points, while Sabonis had nine rebounds and four assists and Fox had five rebounds and nine assists.
Green ended up receiving a flagrant-2 foul while the Sacramento Kings' star received a technical foul. However, Green has received support from different corners from critics and fans who sad that Sabonis should not have grabbed his foot. The initial contact led to Draymond Green being off-balance and stepping on the Lithuanian instead of deliberately stomping on him.
ESPN's Jay Williams said that Sabonis was equally at fault:
"It was a dirty play by Sabonis to grab his foot. He shouldn’t have done it. It deserved a flagrant 1. ... Also, it should’ve been a flagrant 1 on Draymond for the stomp. I don’t think it was excessive.”
"It was a dirty play by Sabonis to grab his foot. He shouldn’t have done it. It deserved a flagrant 1... Also, it should’ve been a flagrant 1 on Draymond for the stomp. I don’t think it was excessive.”
- @RealJayWilliams https://t.co/PZYBDRxQa8
Draymond Green receives support after Golden State Warriors lose second game
Draymond Green said that it was Damontas Sabonis who had grabbed his foot. The 33-year old said that it was the second time during the series that his foot had been grabbed, and that the stomp was merely a result of the initial contact. Klay Thompson, his teammate, also said that it was crazy of Sabonis to try and grab Green’s foot, who was in motion.
Apart from Jay Williams, TNT's Shaquille O’Neal is another former player who came out in support. Shaq said that he would have done something similar if someone had grabbed his foot like that. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith also held the same view, saying that while Draymond Green had a good explanation, the NBA might still end up suspending him for a few games.
Draymond Green interacts with Kings fans as he was ejected.
(via ben.golliver/IG) https://t.co/vRYyJ1AUda
Regardless of what happens, the Golden State Warriors are in a difficult position and have been thoroughly outclassed thus far. Their weaknesses in possession have been exploited with active pressure that the Kings have put them under consistently. Still, with plenty of talent to boast about, Stephen Curry and the Warriors are not out yet.