“You get a guy like Draymond headed to the locker room, it’s not good for the game” - Two-time MVP critical of officials for almost costing Golden State Warriors a crucial road win against Memphis Grizzlies
Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry was left unimpressed with game officials for ejecting Draymond Green in Game 1 of their NBA Western Conference semi-finals against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Curry believes Green didn't deserve to be issued a Flagrant 2 foul call. He believes the decision could've cost the Warriors a crucial Game 1 win on the road.
Here's what the two-time MVP said after the game (via 95.7 The Game):
"It's tough call obviously on the road to start a series and you get a guy like Draymond headed to the locker room, nobody wants to see that, it's not good for the game."
Curry continued:
"I didn't think he deserved that obviously. Got a little emotional rise out of it. Trying to stay locked in and deal with the circumstances and give ourselves the chance to win. We obviously did that in the second-half, but yeah that was a tough one."
Steph on Draymond’s ejection ⤵️ https://t.co/9FnUMLtoUW
Green was called for a Flagrant 2 foul on Brandon Clarke in the first half of the match.
Here's a clip of Green's foul on Clarke that led to his ejection (via Action Network on Twitter):
Draymond Green has been ejected from the game... https://t.co/tk4NBOEHpP
Green made contact with Clarke's head, which caused the Grizzlies forward to lose his balance and fall to the floor.
Green didn't let go of Clarke, though, and grabbed hold of his jersey as he wanted to make sure he didn't sustain any severe injuries.
However, the officials saw it differently and deemed the Golden State Warriors forward's foul "unnecessary and excessive."
Steph Curry and Golden State Warriors hold on to win Game 1 despite Draymond Green's ejection
Draymond Green has been phenomenal for the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Playoffs so far. He has been the team's heart and soul during each of their previous championship runs, and the former DPOY remains the key to their success once again.
The Warriors have struggled in the past in his absence, so it's understandable why Steph Curry felt his ejection could've hampered their chances of winning Game 1. Nevertheless, Curry and company held on to win the game 117-116.
Jordan Poole continued his fine run in his debut postseason with a team-high 31-point game off the bench. He also had eight rebounds and nine assists during the contest. Curry (24 points) and Klay Thompson (15 points) were also impactful.
However, the Golden State Warriors may have had a bigger advantage if Draymond Green hadn't been ejected in the second half.
The Warriors will be hoping to have another disciplined game when Green returns. They will aim to take a 2-0 series lead before heading back to San Francisco for Games 3 and 4.