“Lot Like Game 7”: Draymond Green Shares “Excitement” For Reigniting Kings Rivalry in In-Season Tournament

Draymond Green was handed a five-game suspension last weekend for his role in the scuffle between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. What started as a physical altercation between Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels ended with Green holding Rudy Gobert in a headlock and dragging him for a tense 5 seconds. Gobert is not the only player who has had past confrontations with Green. During Game 2 last season between the Warriors and the Sacramento Kings, Green received a one-game suspension after stepping on Domantas Sabonis’ chest.

The Warriors’ 118-112 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday marked the end of his five-game suspension. They are now slated for a matchup against the Kings on Tuesday, November 28th. Let’s hear what Green has to say about the upcoming matchup.

Draymond Green chimes in on his upcoming matchup against the Sacramento Kings

In a recent press conference, Draymond Green expressed his high hopes for the upcoming in-season tournament play against last season’s playoff rivals, the Sacramento Kings. According to Green, the “atmosphere” of the game could match the intensity of Game 7. “I think it’ll be fun, a lot of fun,” remarked Green. He further added, “I think it’ll be a lot like Game 7. The atmosphere, the people, the excitement, the angst. The feeling that I’m expecting is that it’ll feel like a Game 7.”

Their previous meeting was pretty heated. As Stephen Curry secured a defensive rebound and made his way up the floor, Sabonis tumbled and fell in the paint. Instinctively, he grabbed onto Green’s right leg for support. However, Green initially tried to shake off his grip before he stomped right on Sabonis’ chest. The aggressive step was likely the result of the tensions building up since Game 1.

Green’s actions could cause a serious dent in Golden State’s championship aspirations

The altercation resulted in Draymond Green getting ejected after receiving a flagrant foul 2 with 7:03 remaining in the fourth quarter. On the other hand, Sabonis was called for a technical foul for clutching Green’s leg. As a result of the ejection, the Warriors dropped to 0-2 in that playoff series, a record they hadn’t registered since the 2007 Western Conference semifinals.

Read More: “Hold Everything Against Me”: Draymond Green Breaks Silence on Wild Suspension, Asserting to “Never Change”

Similarly, this time, Green’s five-game suspension was a massive blow to Golden State‘s already shaky start to the season. The Warriors finished with 3 losses and 2 wins in his absence. They are now placed 10th in the Western Conference standings with an 8-9 record.

The Warriors signed Draymond Green to a four-year, $100 million contract in the offseason, confirming his importance within the team. He has been a key piece in helping the Warriors secure four championships. And so, he needs to be more careful, or his reckless actions might cause a dent in Golden State’s championship aspirations this season.

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