Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green Suspended

It's official. Following his ejection for stomping Sacramento Kings big-man Domantas Sabonis, Golden State Warriors star forward Draymond Green has been suspended for Game 3 of the Warriors/Kings first-round playoff series.

NBA ultimately decided on suspending Green for Game 3 of Warriors-Kings due to his history of unsportsmanlike plays, league says. Most around Warriors and the situation Tuesday believed a fine was coming, but the star forward will serve his suspension in a pivotal game. https://t.co/1YCLRxEIkY
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 19, 2023

The suspension stems from an incident in the fourth quarter of Game 2. After getting tangled up under the basket, Green tore himself loose and delivered a frustrated stomp to a grounded Sabonis. Sabonis could be seen clutching Green's leg prior to the incident and was eventually administered a technical foul for his part in the conflict.

Notably, the league cites Green's record of unsportsmanlike conduct in their decision. Green has a long history of dramatic flare-ups, particularly in the playoffs. He was famously ejected and suspended for punching LeBron James in the groin during Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals. The Warriors eventually lost the series despite jumping out to a 3-1 lead. Green was also ejected in the second quarter of Game 1 of last year's semi-finals against the Memphis Grizzlies for grabbing Brandon Clarke's jersey mid-leap.

This latest suspension comes at a terrible time for the Warriors. They're already down 0-2 in the series, and dropping another game in Green's absence would all but end the series. With their core trio of Green, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson all 32 or older, the Warriors only have so many more chances before their championship window closes. Every missed opportunity could be their last opportunity.

Green's antics can be endearing when the Warriors are winning (and they've won plenty), but no team should tolerate self-sabotage. This is the player who nearly knocked out his own teammate this past offseason, after all. If his actions on Monday night set into motion a series of events that results in an early playoff exit for the defending champs, the Warriors may have to consider whether he's worth all the trouble.

Green will be eligible to return for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon.