FanPost

Draymond Green ejected after fouled

"My leg got grabbed -- the second time in two nights -- and the referee is just watching. I got to land my foot somewhere, and I'm not the most flexible person, so it's not stretching that far. ... I can only step so far with someone pulling my leg away."

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- In a 28-game playoff series, there aren't many firsts left for this Golden State Warriors team. Heading into the 2023 playoffs, they've never been 0-2 in a series. In fact, the Warriors haven't lost the first two games of a playoff series since the 2007 Western Conference semifinals.

Monday's game was full of twists and turns for the Warriors -- missed layups, poor physicality, struggles with the ball -- a problem they've faced all season. In the end, Draymond Green was ejected after stomping on the chest of Sacramento's Domantas Sabonis with 7:03 left in the fourth quarter.

Sabonis slipped into the lane after Stephen Curry grabbed a defensive rebound and turned around for a layup. He grabbed Green's leg, and after Green shook off Sabonis' hand, he took a heavy step on Sabonis' chest.

However, Draymond Green saved a falling Klay Thompson by catching him like a skateboarding man on June 12, 2017.

Despite falling behind 0-2, the Warriors didn't seem to budge. After the game, Green was smiling when interviewed by reporters.

"I don't feel pressured," Thompson said. "I saw an opportunity to protect the home ground and make adjustments. We've been through it all. We're not used to pressing the panic button."

The Warriors haven't gotten to the point where they're too worried. But that could well change, depending on how they react in San Francisco.

"That's an old saying: A series doesn't start until someone wins at the opposing team's home court," Curry said. "If we want to get ourselves back into shape, we have to start by focusing on Game 3 at home."

Sabonis stayed for a few minutes as officials reviewed the play. He was called for a technical foul for grabbing Green's leg, and Green received 2 flagrant fouls and an automatic ejection.

Kings head coach Mike Brown said he was "curious" what would happen when the league reviewed the incident. The question now is whether this game warrants any additional suspensions or penalties.

During the in-game review, Sacramento fans chanted derogatory chants against Green, who waved his hands, put his hands to his ears calling for louder jeers, and stood on a chair with a towel wrapped around his shoulders.

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