THE NATIONAL Basketball Association (NBA) suspended Golden State (GS) Warriors forward Draymond Green for five games without pay for his actions during a clash with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, the league announced Wednesday night.
According to the NBA’s statement, Mr. Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts played a part in the length of the suspension.
Mr. Green was at the center of a skirmish during the opening minutes of the game between the Warriors and the Timberwolves in San Francisco.
After Anthony Edwards missed a 3-point attempt, Golden State’s Klay Thompson and the Wolves’ Jaden McDaniels started grabbing at each other as both teams made their way to the other side of the court.
Mr. Thompson and Mr. McDaniels then got into an altercation, and Minnesota big man Rudy Gobert came over to try and separate the two. That’s when Mr. Green came charging in, putting Mr. Gobert in a headlock before dragging him toward the Warriors’ bench.
The NBA said Mr. Green’s actions against Mr. Gobert were conducted in a “unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner.” Mr. Thompson, Mr. McDaniels and Mr. Green were all ejected just 1:43 into the game. Thompson, Gobert and McDaniels were each fined $25,000.
Mr. Green, 33, is averaging 8.8 points, 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds in nine games (all starts) this season. He is eligible to return for Golden State’s game against the host Sacramento Kings on Nov. 28. Mr. Green has already been ejected from two games this season, also getting tossed against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.
The Warriors (6-6) have lost four straight games heading into a Thursday home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. — Reuters