NBA assesses flagrant foul on Warriors’ Green day after game

A big win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night turned sour late for the Golden State Warriors. Steve Kerr picked up a late technical foul and Draymond Green drew an ejection late in the 4th quarter with the game already decided. On Saturday, the victory was even more expensive for Green.

The Grizzlies were rightly upset when Green grabbed Edey’s leg to stop him from running down the court in transition after Green turned the ball over and went down. Coach Taylor Jenkins complained about Green’s dirty play after the game, citing Steve Kerr’s complaint from the 2022 playoffs that Dillon Brooks had “broken the code” on the foul that broke Gary Payton II’s elbow.

It also looks like a play from the 2023 playoffs when Domantas Sabonis grabbed Green’s leg in a similar fast break situation. Sabonis was also flagged for that play, but Green wasn’t happy. He stomped on Sabonis’ chest and was ejected, then was suspended for the following game.

There’s just something about playing Memphis that sets Green off, though this play, while dangerous, felt more like frustration over a turnover rather than a wildly violent act. But when the guy you’re tripping is over seven feet tall, it’s potentially a really reckless play, and it deserved retroactive effect (Green was called for a take-foul at the time).

The strange thing was how Kerr and Green both lost it late in the game. In the final two minutes, Green received a technical for complaining about a foul call on Moses Moody. In fairness to Draymond, that call was bad.

Then, with the Warriors leading 120-108 with 1:14 left, Kerr let his frustration over what he called a “disgusting last quarter and a half” where the game turned into “a parade to the free throw line” turn into a technical foul he received after an error call on Grizzlies. Although he was probably still unhappy with the first tech on Green.

Not to be outdone, Draymond Green managed to pick up his second technical foul and a bench ejection after being subbed out.

Shout out to the woman sitting by the yard who cried out: “You guys are TERRIBLE!” with the civil servants. Coach Kerr is sorry for using foul language in front of you.

The game was out of reach, but you never know when the two points lost to technical free throws (Desmond Bane missed one of three) could come back to haunt them in the Emirates Cup. The point differential is the tiebreaker in the NBA’s in-season tournament, and it would be better for the Dubs if they were 2-0 with a +10 differential, instead of their current +8.

The added flagrant foul will bill Green to the league at least $6,000 for Friday’s game. A flagrant is usually fined at least $2K, as is the fine for each of a player’s first five technical fouls of the season. Green now has four for the 2024-25 season, tied with Jayson Tatum for the league lead. He is at 154 for his career, just two behind Carmelo Anthony for 15th in NBA history (Green passed Shaq with his opening-night technical).

Friday is going to make it difficult for Green to fulfill his own prediction that he would end the season with less than 10 technical. It was an encouraging night for the Warriors and their ability to win big games. It was a disappointing night for Green’s anger management.