The embarrassing brawl at the Chase Center last Tuesday is not going to come free for the Golden State Warriors. The NBA has decided to sanction Draymond Green, one of his best players, for five games for his attack on Rudy Gobert in the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
According to the NBA statement, his history of unsportsmanlike actions influenced the length of his suspension. The power forward was at the center of a skirmish when the score still showed 0-0 and barely more than a minute into the game in San Francisco.
After Anthony Edwards missed a 3-point attempt, the Wolves' Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels began holding on as both teams headed to the other side of the court. Both players faced each other - they even broke their shirts - and Rudy Gobert approached to try to separate them. That's when Green ran in and put Gobert in a headlock, grabbing him by the neck and dragging him a few meters.
The NBA said Green's actions against Gobert were carried out in an "unsportsmanlike and dangerous" manner. Thompson, McDaniels and Green were ejected just 1:43 into the game. Thompson, Gobert and McDaniels were fined $25,000 each. Green will not have to pay any fine.
The 33-year-old Warriors player is averaging 8.8 points, 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds in nine games (all starts) this season. He will not return to the court until November 28 against the Sacramento Kings.
Green has already been ejected twice this season, most recently against the Cleveland Cavaliers last Saturday. Last season also started off busy for the controversial player for getting into a fight with a teammate in training, an attack that almost cost him the chance to miss the first games of the season. Finally, after his public apology, the Californian franchise forgave him.
The Warriors (6-6) have lost four straight entering Thursday's home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The question is whether Steph Curry, with knee discomfort, will be ready for the clash. In fact, the absence of the Warriors star, according to the attacked Gobert, was one of the reasons why Green expelled himself. "Every time Steph doesn't play, he doesn't want to play without his boy, so he does everything possible to get expelled," said the also controversial Wolves player in an ironic tone, who defined that his rival had behaved like "a clown".
