Is NBA Citing “Unsportsmanlike Acts” for Draymond Green Suspension, Fair? Reminiscing Warriors Star’s Violent History

The Golden State Warriors went against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, and there was a lot that happened on the court. The game’s result was overshadowed by the fight that happened a minute into the game, which resulted in a triple ejection of Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Jaden McDaniels. However, given Draymond Green’s history of violent altercations, this incident seems to be a chain reaction to the predicament he set.

The question is: Is the NBA fair for citing his previous ‘unsportsmanlike’ actions as the basis for his suspension? Once the repercussions were announced, the NBA’s decision automatically fell under the speculative lens of Green’s fans.

Draymond Green: A History of Violent Acts

In the first two minutes of the first quarter, Draymond Green and teammate Klay Thompson got ejected following a brawl initiated by the latter. The Timberwolves’ McDaniels was the third one to get tossed from the game. The act that led to this ejection spree was the one in which Green grabbed the 7-footer Rudy Gobert in a headlock and dragged him for nearly 10 feet across the court. This outrage from the Warriors big man wasn’t the first time. Following the Jordan Poole controversy, it seems like the provocative play isn’t going to stop anytime soon.

It’s no secret that DrayMagic resorts to notorious practices to get under his opponent’s skin. The big man even got ejected for raising his voice towards his teammate, James Wiseman. Although it was a misconception from the perspective of the referee, just notice the kind of reputation he has built, for even the slightest on-court altercation can easily lead to a technical foul or even an ejection. Since 2015, Green has finished in the top five for total technical fouls observed each year. Here are some notable Draymond magic moments:

1. Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole

The four-time NBA champion threw a punch at Poole after the two were shoving and pushing each other during pre season. Although the Warriors slapped the player with an ‘undisclosed’ fine, the franchise decided not to suspend the player for the act. Did the act seem to be too casual compared to his past actions, or was the player needed for the win? That’s something for the team to figure out. However, the outraged behavior is still not in line with the expected overall conduct of an NBA player.

2. Green kicked Steven Adams in the groin

Dating back to the 2016 post-season, the 12-year veteran was slapped with a $25,000 fine for kicking Steven Adams in the groin. These ‘groin kicks’ were even awarded a punchline in rapper Drake’s opening monologue during the NBA’s inaugural awards show back in 2017. Once the deed escalated to a flagrant 2 foul smashed on the player, the franchise feared a one-game suspension. The fear soon turned into a reality when DPOYmond committed a flagrant foul on LeBron James.

3. Scuffle between James and Draymond Green

LeBron James stepped on Green in a game in the 2016 NBA finals, and that was followed by the latter swinging his fist. Since the fist swing appeared to be near James’ groin, the NBA issued a suspension for Game 5 in the 2016 finals. The suspension resulted in the Golden State Warriors losing in the finals despite leading 3-1.

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These are not all in terms of the provocative behavior displayed by the Warriors Center, but they are the ones who topped the list. With yesterday’s violent act, it goes without saying that the star forward needs to set the record straight for himself. Because the NBA’s reason for the recent punishment is based on this ’embellished’ history alone.

NBA smashed Draymond Green with suspension

The NBA seems to take strict action for the physically violent actions of the player this time. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweeted that the length of the suspension is based on his history of such remorseful activities on the court. Green will not be on the court for the next five games, marking this as the 18th ejection of his career.

The Warriors went on to lose the game, 101-104, amounting to their fourth straight loss this season. Although Steve Kerr felt Green was simply sticking up for his teammate, the behavior can’t be normalized as per the NBA. This might be a hard blow for the Stephen Curry-less team since Green will be out while the franchise goes against the San Antonio Spurs.

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Do you think the NBA’s strict actions against players who are getting into physical fights are valid and relevant? Let us know your views about the 5-game suspension.