If the Golden State Warriors win the 2016 NBA Finals on Monday, it won’t be thanks to Draymond Green.
The NBA announced Sunday it had assessed Green a Flagrant 1 foul for an incident involving Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James in Game 4. Green now has four flagrant foul “points” this postseason, meaning he will be suspended for one game and miss Game 5 at Oracle Arena.
The incident that ultimately got Green suspended occurred late in the fourth quarter of Game 4, when the Warriors forward took a swing at James and hit him in the groin after the two got tangled up. Neither Green nor James were given technical fouls or flagrant fouls at the time, and Golden State went on to win 108-97 to take a 3-1 series lead.
The NBA’s decision to give Green a Flagrant 1 foul was the last straw for the controversial forward, who already has been hit with a Flagrant 2 foul this postseason for kicking Oklahoma City Thunder big man Steven Adams in the groin.
The Cavs didn’t escape unscathed, either, as the NBA gave James a technical foul for his role in the minor scrap and fined Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue $25,000 for his “public criticism of officiating,” according to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols.
Green’s suspension is good news for the Cavs, but they won’t have history on their side, as no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals. Game 5 is set for Monday at 9 p.m. ET in Oakland.
Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images
