Draymond Green outdid himself on Tuesday night. The Warriors forward, notorious for taking cheap shots at other players, stunned crowds watching Golden State take on the Phoenix Sun after swinging a wild punch at Suns big man Jusuf Nurkic’s face, prompting Green’s ejection from the game.
The extracurricular action from Draymond was completely uncalled for … Green didn’t shy away from the all-out attack, which on any average sidewalk would be seen as assault.
Draymond Green Assault Jusuf Nurkic with Dirty Swing
While battling for position on an inbound play, Green swung his arm at Nurkic’s face, in front of an NBA ref.
Green loaded his right arm, looking to swing it at Nurkic, and did so, dropping the player on his face.
The officials assigned Green a Flagrant 2 foul, booting him from the game. Tuesday’s game tallied Green’s third ejection of the season and 18th of his regular-season career.
Nurkic commented on the dirty hit after the game: “What’s going on with him? I don’t know. Personally, I feel like that brother needs help. I’m glad he didn’t try to choke me. At the same time, it ain’t nothing to do with basketball.”
Green apologized to Nurkic after the game.
The early word is that Draymond could face a possible suspension. NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski posted that the league will review Green’s flagrant foul to determine potential discipline.
On Nov. 14, the NBA assigned Draymond Green a five-game suspension after putting Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold. The league pointed out that Draymond’s history of ‘inadvertently’ harming players factored into their decision.
If the league considers a suspension for Draymond, the game total likely jumps up to double digits, facing around 10 to 15 games and a hefty fine for the hit.
At this point, the league will need to send a message with their next move on Draymond or watch more incidents occur until the seasoned Warrior calls it a career.
Green’s antics have been a constant. For the majority of his status as an NBA bully, Green played with the dynastic Warriors, keeping his critics at bay by simply winning games and championships.
Now that the Warriors are sliding backward in the Western Conference, Green’s behavior is hardly deserving of a pass.
Follow Alejandro Avila on Twitter: @AlejandroAveela
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