Draymond Green’s Antics Will Cost the Warriors Another Playoff Series

Image ©Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

✍️ Written by :

Ty Bronicel

🗓 Updated :

May 19th 2023

UPDATE: After the publication of this story, the NBA has announced that Draymond Green will be suspended for Game 3 of the Kings/Warriors Series. Kings Center Domantas Sabonis is questionable with a sternum injury.

We’ve seen this behavior from Golden State star/drama dude Draymond Green before, right?

Yeah, let’s go back to the 2016 NBA Finals.

The Warriors were up 3-1, but following Golden State’s win in Game 4, the NBA assessed Green with a flagrant foul 1 for his "retaliatory swipe” to the groin area of LeBron James.

Don’t do that to the King, the league said.

That was Green’s fourth flagrant foul of the playoffs, which resulted in him being suspended for Game 5. James and the Cavaliers won that game, then the final two games to claim the franchise’s first championship in team history and the first sports title for Cleveland in 50 years.

Momentum changes quickly in professional sports, especially after just one play, one missed call (looking at you, NFL refs who officiated certain Saints playoff games), or the actions of one player.

I think Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will say after this season ends with a first-round series loss to the Kings that the franchise should part ways with the future Hall of Famer.

Green has a player option in his contract after this season which means he can stick with the Warriors or become a free agent. At which point he can find another team, which is rumored to be the Lakers.

If I were the Warriors, I’d tell him to find employment elsewhere.

Green’s a great talent when he keeps his emotions in check.

He’s a four-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year but I do believe that this aggression should not stand, man.

Per The Athletic: Who talks the most trash on the court?

Guess who was the winner? It can’t be easy coaching Green.

NBA insider Shams Charania tweeted:

"It is looking unlikely Warriors forward Draymond Green will be suspended for Game 3 vs. Kings after stepping on Domantas Sabonis when Sabonis grabbed his leg on Monday night, sources tell @TheAthletic"

Meanwhile, looking back at last’s night’s highlights, Kerr, for all his greatness and energy, and smarts, looks tired. So do the Warriors.

We’ll see what happens back in San Francisco on April 20th (Game 3).

Oddsmakers and bettors still believe in the defending champs.

They’re 7-point favorites to win Game 3, but, the Kings are now -160 to win the series.

The Warriors remain at +1400 to win the Finals compared to the Kings at +2800.

So double.

What the hell does that tell you?

Well, a buddy of mine predicts that the Warriors will win Games 3 and 4 at home (likely) and then return to Sacramento to win Game 5, which would be huge.

If they do that, then Game 6, back in San Francisco, is where the champs could close out the plucky Kings.

I’m not buying it. I wrote this a week ago:

“Getting out of the West will be full of physical battles for the rest of April. I’ll bet the month ends with three Game 7s on Sunday, April 30 (Knicks-Cavs, Warriors-Kings, and Lakers-Grizzlies).”

I’ll stand by that. And also, here’s a fun fact per ESPN’s Kendra Edwards:

The last time the Warriors trailed in a series 0-2 was the 2007 Conference Semifinals when they were the eighth seed losing to the fourth seed Jazz. They are the fifth defending champ to fall behind 2-0 in the first round. Each of the prior four went on to lose, with three getting swept.

In closing, my final words are: Here are the latest odds to win it all. Sacramento’s odds have gone from 50-1 to 23-1. Don’t stop believing.