The NBA won’t rescind the Flagrant 2 foul that Draymond Green received in Game 1 of the second-round series between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. That means Green is one more ejection away from being suspended for an entire game in the 2022 NBA playoffs.
Green was tossed from Game 1 late in the second quarter for his foul on Brandon Clarke. Either a pair of Flagrant 1 fouls or a single Flagrant 2 foul this postseason would trigger an automatic suspension for the Warriors’ next game.
That means Draymond Green has two flagrant points. In the playoffs, four flagrant points mean an automatic one-game suspension. Flagrant 1 equals one point, Flagrant 2 equals two points. https://t.co/nQelucvexN
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater)
When Green was ejected, Golden State was leading, 54-53. The Warriors held on in a nail-biter, 117-116, to take a 1-0 series lead over the Grizzlies.
As the NBA championship favorites, the Warriors could play as many as 20 more games in the 2022 playoffs. Green might not be likely to receive a suspension, but the 2016 playoffs are proof that it can’t be ruled out.
Green was infamously suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals because he reached four total flagrant foul points in the postseason. The Warriors lost Game 5 by 15 points in Green’s absence. Golden State team blew a 3-1 series lead against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“My biggest worry moving forward is that gives me two flagrant foul points, and as we know I've been ejected for accumulation of flagrant foul points,” Green said on his podcast just hours after his ejection. “So I'm hoping that the right thing will happen, and that it will at least get rescinded to a flagrant one.”
Green said that he believed his reputation played a role in getting called for a Flagrant 2 foul. Green had six points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals in 17 minutes.
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"We were just determined," Warriors head coach Kerr told reporters after the Game 1 victory. "We were all kind of shocked by the decision. But we were confident and determined, and the guys stayed with it."
In six playoff games, the Warriors have outscored their opponents by 12.8 points per game with Green on the court. In Golden State’s five-game series win over the Denver Nuggets, Green averaged 9.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.4 steals per game.
Green has won three championships with the Warriors and played in 129 playoff games.
Golden State's Draymond Green reacts to being ejected on Sunday for a flagrant foul but the Warriors managed to defeat host Memphis 117-116 in an NBA playoff game on Sunday Photo: GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA via AFP / Justin Ford
