Green is a thug. But Sabonis grabbing his leg could have caused a major injury. Don't see a suspension.
NBA 2022-2023
- Thread starter charlton66
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He’s such an idiot sometimes.
I fully get there are some players that need to play on the edge to bring out the dog in them and maybe for Green it’s a necessary evil to keep him at his best for so long but you’d think someone with his level of experience, who has been in the league for this many years, would learn to control his actions when the going gets tough.
The commentator spent way too much time focusing on Sabonis touching Green’s shoe in that clip.
Green should be suspended for a game because of his previous history, but in isolation the ejection is enough.
He didn't really stomp (at least it doesn't look like he did), and Sabonis both started it and made the most he could of Draymonds reaction.
He didn't really stomp (at least it doesn't look like he did), and Sabonis both started it and made the most he could of Draymonds reaction.
He did stomp him imo, you can see during the replay that he accelerates his foot when planting it down on Sabonis' chest - that's not a normal reaction from a person who is just losing his balance, he deliberately plants it into him.
That said, he was already punished with the ejection. And Sabonis indeed started it, there was no need to grab his leg (and yes, he grabbed it, it was also intentional). I hope the NBA just leaves it at that and moves on to Game 3.
That said, he was already punished with the ejection. And Sabonis indeed started it, there was no need to grab his leg (and yes, he grabbed it, it was also intentional). I hope the NBA just leaves it at that and moves on to Game 3.
Yes - he did stomp, bad phrasing from me. But he didn't really follow through - if that makes sense?
He's bent over, taking a lot of force out of it, and he doesn't plant his weight on sabonis when he jumps away either.
It might have hurt a bit for sure, Dray is a big man, but I still feel the ejection itself is sufficient if not for previous history.
He's bent over, taking a lot of force out of it, and he doesn't plant his weight on sabonis when he jumps away either.
It might have hurt a bit for sure, Dray is a big man, but I still feel the ejection itself is sufficient if not for previous history.
Yeah agreed, that's also how I see it. But then you have guys like this, and that's just not what the images are telling:
Also agree!
I really don't see how you can not ban him for the next game, he literally stomped on him with force and could have injured him badly (think he's due to have a scan anyway). It's not fine at all and it's not a proportionate reaction to having your leg grabbed (for which Sabonis got a technical too).
Green trying to deliberately hurt an opponent in the playoffs? I'm shocked. I still wish Adams had got up and flattened him in 2016 
Green trying to deliberately hurt an opponent in the playoffs? I'm shocked. I still wish Adams had got up and flattened him in 2016
Imagine an actual Adams v Green fight, he'd be unconscious after 30 seconds.
He acts tough because he knows no one is dumb enough to retaliate and he can get away with way more than any other player.Sabonis could have injured Green badly as well by grabbing his leg. Let's not decide on suspensions by what could have potentially been the outcome of incidents. In isolation it warrants a suspension, in context (i.e. the victim started the whole thing) an ejection was enough.
You're trying to put an equal sign between grabbing a leg and jumping off someone's chest like it's a trampoline. Sabonis got his deserved flagrant for that dirty move, but Green should 100% miss at least one game. And him celebrating the whole thing like an idiot afterwards will only make things worse for him.
Of course it's not equal, but that's why Green was ejected and Sabonis wasn't. The fouls were correctly assessed by the officials. And cause and consequence is important in this matter - if Sabonis doesn't stupidly and unnecessarily grabs Green's leg (what for?), he doesn't get stomped in the first place. Major factor on the whole incident which needs to be taken into account; it's not like Green randomly kicks the shit out of him.
You must be very bad at jumping on a trampoline
Green has such a long history of being a d*ck and then playing it cool, he will be smacked for good by an end-of-bench guy sooner than later.
To add to this: not a great look for Sabonis either who acts like his lung collapsed in the first place but was seemingly fine straight after.
I don't think what Sabonis did was that dangerous at all, or even very malicious. It was a cheeky tactical foul that warranted a tech but was not really dangerous unless we go into very improbable scenarios.
Stomping with full force on someone's chest, that's probably way more likely to injure you.
BTW I think this was Green's sixth foul so he was leaving the game anyway. The ejection did not even matter.
What Sabonis did was not dangerous, nor very malicious. But Dray didn't stomp on his chest with full force either.
Technical for Sabonis, ejection for Dray. Fair.
Fair points. Still though - don't grab his leg, don't get stamped on, is my opinion. It was unnecessary and a cynical foul is annoying for the game as well. Green's violation was worse, but he was punished harder as well.
Let's move on and not let this incident determine an otherwise great and intriguing series, is how I feel about it.
Yeah I don't think you can justify what Draymond did by what Sabonis did. This was a very disproportionate reaction and of all players Green is least likely to get any benefit of the doubt for me, he's been involved in way too many of these 'accidental, not much malice, nothing in it' type of situations that could have ended very badly for the other player. If he stomps on someone I am going to just assume he was trying to deliberately injure hurt that player.
Dame trying to recruit free agent Green here. I will literally stop supporting Blazers for time being if he's the player we get to 'help Dame win the chip'.
Well if he randomly kicked the shit out of him we would be talking 10+ games suspension, I'm only advocating for a game or two.
But anyway, great series and I think with or without Draymond this series is far from over.
How realistic is that grabbing someone leg/foot in that scenario can actually do damage and hurt your ankle or something, in worst case scenario i guess, where you trying to free yourself by pulling leg out instead of just standing there still waiting for him to let it go.
Might go to 7 but it would be madness (for NBA standards) on the stands.
Looks like it's time to hope on the Beam-Team bandwaggon for these playoffs. Choo choo!
The atmosphere in Golden 1 Center has been immense so far, it seems so loud. Kings have basically become everyone’s second team in these playoffs too (or the first if like me you support a hopeless franchise that hasn’t made it there).
It doesn’t even look like Sabonis was purposely trying to grab Green’s foot. Looks like he was trying to protect his face in a sea of feet.
Nah. That's way too unnatural of a position to hold your hands in and you immediately feel if there is something between your arms (which you especially don't want if you are trying to cover up your face).
He could've held on to the ankle which would've been worse but it was clearly an attempt in hindering Green for me.
I don’t see many people messing with Draymond after that punch he gave his teammate. Man throws like Deontay wilder.
Doesn’t look like it to me. He’s obviously flopping and embellishing how hurt he is, which is bad on its own but it genuinely looks like Sabonis’ part in the incident was accidental.
Yeah I was about to say that as I'm not convinced it was intentional at all, but even if it was it still doesn't warrant that sort of reaction.
When asked about it after the game, his reaction was: "I don't know, it's the playoffs man, a lot of things happen. I fell to the floor and felt like I was just protecting myself". We'll never know for sure but I think he knew damn well what he was doing and, more importantly, who he was doing it to
BTW I was quite OK with Sabonis-Haliburton trade at the time that Kings got a lot of stick for initially, and I guess nobody is really laughing at them anymore. It was the correct move even if Haliburton is one of the best point guards in the league, he wouldn't have blossomed into the same player at Kings and him playing next to Fox would diminish the impact of both. To get one of the best centers in the league who is still young was a very good deal, and one I wish Portland had made when CJ began to emerge alongside Dame. Sometimes you don't need better players, you need players that fit.
Also was very much in favor of them dropping the Bagley project, having former no. 2 pick always ridiculed for being picked ahead of superstar Doncic was never going to work for them and it was better to just fill the roster with bench players that are happy to contribute for 15-20 minutes a game like Lyles (who has also developed nicely, I thought he was going to be out of the league soon).
Also was very much in favor of them dropping the Bagley project, having former no. 2 pick always ridiculed for being picked ahead of superstar Doncic was never going to work for them and it was better to just fill the roster with bench players that are happy to contribute for 15-20 minutes a game like Lyles (who has also developed nicely, I thought he was going to be out of the league soon).
Equally as disappointing as his reaction during the game was Green's post-game conference though. "I gotta land my foot somewhere, I'm not the most flexible guy in the world". Really? Just admit you lost your temper and stomped on him, and apologize for the behavior to Sabonis and to your own team for quitting on them.
Yup great moves by the Kings. If people have them as their second team now wait till they play the big bad Lakers next round.
If they run the riot against Warriors and Lakers, and then beat Kevin Durant in conference finals to eventually conquer Boston Celtics in the Finals, they might just become everyone’s favorite team including the fans of teams they’d beaten.
I got a soft spot for the kings myself, my brother is a fan. They've suffered a long time and those fans deserve better. But we will have to big bro them again. Big bank take lil bank.
As of today, Embiid, Harden, Doc > Tatum, Brown, Mazzulla… so it would really depend on the rest of the squad.
I'd have Celtics as firm favorites against Sixers. Think they'll do them in 6 but it'll be great series.