Should Draymond Green be suspended for Game 3? Looking into Green's previous transgressions in the NBA playoffs
In a close matchup between the Warriors and the Kings, Draymond Green got himself ejected from the game after stepping over Domantas Sabonis' chest late in the fourth quarter.
After Sabonis fell to the ground as he tried to fight for the rebound, his arm got entangled with Green's right foot, to which Draymond decided to step on Sabonis' chest in order for his foot to be released.
There are debates going on regarding Draymond Green's status for Game 3 and whether he should be suspended. Some analysts are pointing out that Sabonis was grabbing Green's leg when the situation transpired, along with the series being a physical one through and through. But make no mistake about it, Green should be suspended for what he did.
Grabbing someone's leg or pulling someone's jersey to the ground is not allowed in the NBA, but Green stepping on a player's chest should be considered a dangerous act warranting a suspension for Game 3. It was excessive and could have even caused further damage to the player's wellbeing.
Just because a player falls to the ground and gets entangled with another player's foot doesn't justify stepping over him to get back on the play.
The referees, however, did a great job in assessing the incident for both players to receive just and fair disciplinary action. Even Domantas Sabonis was the one that got his chest stepped on, grabbing and holding the player's leg was reckless as he received a technical foul, while Draymond Green got a Flagrant Foul 2 and an automatic ejection from the game.
After the game, Green spoke during the post-game interview and gave his perspective on the incident.
"My leg got grabbed -- the second time in two nights -- and the referee is just watching," Green said. "I got to land my foot somewhere, and I'm not the most flexible person, so it's not stretching that far. ... I can only step so far with someone pulling my leg away."
Sabonis also gave his perspective on what happened with Green.
"When I fell, I was protecting myself, and then the incident happened," Sabonis said. "There is no room for that in our game today."
Draymond Green's troubled history in the NBA playoffs
Draymond Green is no stranger to on-court altercations with opposing players, especially when it comes to the NBA playoffs.
In Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter, Green fell to the ground after a brief scuffle with LeBron James. After the scuffle, James stepped over Green, which resulted in Draymond standing up and having contact with Lebron's groin. He was suspended in Game 5 of that series.
In Game 3 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals against the OKC Thunder, Draymond Green drove to the paint and kicked Steven Adams mid-air while in shit shot formation. Green received a Flagrant Foul 2 and was fined $25,000.
During Game 1 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals, Harden scored five quick points with ease and found himself face-to-face with Green after securing the ball to make the inbounds pass.
Draymond, wanting some space, decided to elbow James Harden on the chin and even shoved Harden at the same time. With just 1:07 to start in the first quarter, Green received a technical foul for the act.
Given his troubled history in the NBA playoffs, his altercation with Sabonis last night did not come off as a shocker at this point in his career.