SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been suspended for one game without pay for stepping on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis and will miss Game 3 of the teams’ first-round playoff series Thursday night.
The NBA made the announcement late Tuesday, two days before the series shifts to the defending champions’ home court at Chase Center. The decision came from NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars.
“The suspension was based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the release said.
The Warriors trail the best-of-seven series 2-0, the first time in 28 playoff series during the Stephen Curry era they have been down by two games.
In the fourth quarter of the Kings’ 114-106 Game 2 win Monday night, Green stomped on Sabonis’ chest after Curry grabbed a defensive rebound.
With the Warriors pushing the ball upcourt and Sabonis on the ground, Green took a hard step on Sabonis, who stayed down for several minutes as officials reviewed the play.
Sabonis was called for a technical foul for grabbing Green’s leg, and Green was given a flagrant-2 foul that led to an automatic ejection.
“My leg got grabbed. Second time in two night,” said Green, also referring to a play in Game 1 with Malik Monk. “Referees just watch it. I have to land my foot somewhere. I’m not the most flexible person, so it’s not stretching that far.”
The Kings said Sabonis underwent tests that determined he had a bruised sternum and is questionable for Game 3.
Credited as the Warriors’ emotional leader, Green has long walked a fine line of pushing the limits with officials — and has expressed he now feels they’re out to get him.
The 33-year-old Green has been called for six flagrant fouls and 27 technical fouls in 147 career playoff games. He was ejected from a playoff game against the Memphis Grizzlies last season.
In 2016, Green was suspended for a crucial Game 5 loss to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals after accumulating too many flagrant fouls in that postseason. The Warriors wound up losing in seven games.
Coach Steve Kerr and general manager Bob Myers have long supported Green’s fiery nature that leads to technical fouls. Myers even sat with Green next door to Oracle Arena at the Oakland Coliseum when Green was suspended for that 2016 game.
In November 2018, the Warriors suspended Green for conduct detrimental to the team. Green had secured a rebound in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, and with Kevin Durant calling for the ball, Green instead dribbled the length of the court into traffic and lost control as the Warriors failed to get a shot off. Durant was shown on camera visibly upset. The two got into it afterward, according to reporters on the scene.
