Warriors star Draymond Green addresses suspension, says it was
‘crushing’ not to participate in Game 3
Green praised Steph Curry for a 'masterful performance' as Warriors beat
Kings in his absence
>Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) massages his right wrist
multiple times before the start of their NBA game at the Chase Center in
San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay
Area News Group)
By JASON MASTRODONATO | jmastrodonato@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area
News Group
PUBLISHED: April 21, 2023 at 2:38 p.m. | UPDATED: April 21, 2023 at 3:18
p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/04/21/warriors-star-draymond-green-addresses-suspension-says-it-was-crushing-not-to-participate-in-game-3/

Addressing his suspension from Game 3 of the first round of the Western
Conference playoffs for the first time on Friday, Draymond Green
expressed surprise that the NBA took his previous violations into
account when assessing the penalty.

Speaking on The Draymond Green Show released on YouTube at 2 p.m. PT,
Green said he had wanted to wait to address his suspension until after
the Warriors’ 114-97 win over the Kings in Game 3 on Thursday night.

“Very intentional,” he said of his delayed response. “Dubs got a win
last night, so that was huge.”

As for his suspension, Green said, “I never knew you could be suspended
for a Flagrant 2 that happened seven years ago. And I also didn’t know
you can get suspended for interacting with the crowd that’s flipping you
double birds and yelling your name and chants that you suck. And you
interact with them. I didn’t know that either.”

Green said suspensions don’t hurt him as much now, not since being
suspended from Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Cleveland
Cavaliers.

“Being suspended from a game at this point in my career will never
affect me from an emotional standpoint outside of my fellas were in the
dogfight and not being able to participate in a dogfight,” he said.
“That’s crushing because you just feel like you’re leaving them out
there by themselves, leaving them astray. To not participate in that
dogfight, that’s what hurts me the most.”

The message from coach Steve Kerr, general manager Bob Myers and the
rest of the Warriors who spoke about Green’s suspension was essentially
this: It was less than ideal, but there was nothing they could do about
it. They moved on quickly, made adjustments in practice on Wednesday and
executed on Thursday.

“My guys played really well, stepped up to the challenge and it was
absolutely incredible to see,” Green said. “I hope everyone enjoyed the
game the way — well, I can’t say I enjoyed the game, quite frankly.”

Green was forced to stay home and away from the stadium during the game,
but said he was texting assistant coach Kris Weems. Green expected to
share some tactical insights that could be helpful, but the Warriors
were playing so well that he had nothing to offer.

“Because even when shots were not falling, we were in control of the
game,” Green said. “So there wasn’t much to say. They were locked in,
tight on the game plan. There’s just not much to say. Shoutout to the
coaching staff.”

Green went up and down the roster giving out credit for the win, but was
especially pleased with Steph Curry, who scored 36 points while turning
the ball over just once.

“We saw NBA Finals Steph Curry, which was absolutely incredible,” Green
said. “He controlled the entire game. It was like a calmness, ‘I’m not
letting us lose. I’m in this moment, it is what is and there’s nothing
anybody can do about it.’

“Masterful. What we watched Steph Curry do last night was a master at work.”

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Towards the end of his show, Green added a bit more context to his
suspension while comparing it to 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was
assessed a Flagrant 1 for a kick to the crotch against the Nets in Game
3 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, but was not suspended, and
teammate James Harden, who was given a Flagrant 2 for a backhanded punch
to the groin, but was also not expected to be suspended, according to ESPN.

“If I could give you my honest opinion, I don’t care,” Green said. “One
thing you’re never going to see me say is, ‘This guy did that and he
didn’t get this.’ That ain’t me. I’m never in favor of seeing a player
get suspended. I’m never in favor of seeing a player get kicked out of
the game.

“I told you guys last year, I’m treated differently. That’s a badge of
honor. I’m not the same as all these dudes. I’m different. But different
equals championships. So you take the good with the bad and got to live
with it.”

--
Jason Mastrodonato | Enterprise and General Assignment Sports Reporter
Jason Mastrodonato is a Bay Area News Group enterprise/general
assignment sports reporter covering the Giants, Warriors, 49ers and more
for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. A Northeastern University
graduate with a BA degree in business administration, Jason began his
career as a co-op covering high school sports at the Boston Globe in
2009. He spent 12 years on the Red Sox beat for MLB.com, MassLive.com
and the Boston Herald before he joined the Bay Area News Group in 2023.
He's a member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America and votes
for the National Baseball Hall of Fame starting in 2023.