Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic doesn’t think Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has learned his lesson.
Green is just a few weeks back from serving a 12-game suspension for hitting Nurkic in the face during a December contest between the Suns and Warriors (video here).
Nurkic claimed at the time that everyone — even Green — deserves a second chance to learn from their mistakes.
After Saturday’s game, the Suns center no longer felt the same way.
Nurkic was highly critical of Green after the Suns’ 113-112 loss to the Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. The Bosnian big man claimed that Green is still virtually a ticking time bomb that’s bound to explode again in the near future.
“It’s sad. He didn’t learn anything, man,” Nurkic told reporters in the locker room. “It’s just a matter of time he’s going to knock somebody else again. I take everything back that I said. He doesn’t deserve a second chance.”
https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin/status/1756542934378492182
Nurkic pointed to Green’s continued “antics” and claimed the Warriors star was still trying “to hit people.”
The two were visibly contentious toward one another throughout the matchup.
https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1756496996280484004
Nurkic and Green also exchanged “too small” taunts after scoring over each other during one fourth-quarter sequence.
https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1756516159707390197
Nurkic too small to Draymond. 😂
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 11, 2024
Green entered Saturday’s contest without being whistled for a technical foul in all 10 games since returning from his suspension. That run ended against the Suns when Green took umbrage with a non-call early in the third quarter and let the referees know it.
Draymond Green since his return
10 games
0 technicals
0 flagrants
+124 in 291 minutes (almost all at center)
126.6 offensive rating with him on the floor
107.2 defensive rating with him on the floorhttps://t.co/mmI0LUWAd4— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 9, 2024
Green won the center matchup with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists on 7/9 shooting from the floor. Nurkic finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
