Draymond Green has been suspended by the NBA for stomping on Domantas Sabonis on Monday night.
The NBA issued a statement on Tuesday evening to announce that Green had been suspended one game as discipline. Green will serve the suspension during Thursday’s Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series between his Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings.
The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/KEnWx2qTvs
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 19, 2023
The league said in its statement that “Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts” played a role in the disiciplinary decision.
Green stomped on Sabonis’ chest during the fourth quarter of Sacramento’s 114-106 win over Golden State in Game 2 on Monday night. Sabonis had grabbed Green’s ankle after falling to the floor, which annoyed the Warriors forward, who responded by stomping on the Kings star’s chest (video here).
This is the second time that Green has cost his team with his behavior during the postseason. He also was suspended during the NBA Finals in 2016, which helped spur the Cavaliers to a comeback victory in the series.
What’s interesting is the announcement from the NBA comes several hours after prominent reporter Shams Charania said Green might escape a suspension. Perhaps the NBA leaked this information to him to test the public reaction prior to actually suspending the forward for a critical playoff game.
