Draymond Green defended himself in the face of questioning following his controversial kick on Steven Adams during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday.
Green was seen kicking Adams in the groin during the second quarter of the game and was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul (video here). After the game, Green was asked whether he thought he might be suspended for the play. The Warriors forward proclaimed his innocence in response.
“No. I thought it would probably get rescinded,” Green said of the foul. “Following through on a shot … I’m not trying to kick somebody in the midsection. I’m sure he wants to have kids one day. I’m not trying to end that on the basketball court. That doesn’t make sense.”
Green then tried to go over the physics of the play and use that to prove his actions weren’t intentional.
“I brought the ball over the top this way, he fouled me, and my leg went up. I didn’t know I hit him. I walked to the 3-point line and clapped everybody’s hand. I turn around and he’s on the floor. I’m like, ‘what happened?’ Like I said, I thought it would be rescinded. I wasn’t trying to kick him; I was following through on the shot. My leg went up. So, no, I don’t think I’ll be suspended.
“I don’t know how anyone can possibly say I did that on purpose,” Green insisted.
Perhaps that’s why Green is trying to be so conciliatory.
Warriors' Draymond Green told @TheUndefeated he hoped to see OKC's Steven Adams after game to tell him kick wasn't intention & to apologize.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) May 23, 2016
Green and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr must have gotten together before speaking with the media in order to get on the same page, because their comments were nearly identical.
Will the league suspend Green for the play? It seems like there may be too much at stake and it might be too hard to prove Green’s actions were intentional in order to sit him down for a game, but you never know what they will decide.
The Thunder lead the series 2-1 over the Warriors, with Game 4 on Tuesday in OKC.
