It did not take long for Draymond Green to embrace his villain role in Game 2.
The Golden State Warriors forward, playing in his first game since he was ejected for a controversial Flagrant 2 in Game 1 vs. the Grizzlies, gave the double middle finger to Memphis fans in the first quarter as he went to the locker room to be evaluated for an injury.
Green took a shot in the face and was on the ground with a towel over his face after sustaining a laceration above his eye, which became swollen.
It’s unclear if the Memphis fans were cheering his injury or not as he went back. Green eventually returned to the court in the second quarter.
There has been much ado over the Flagrant 2 Green received in Game 1 against the Grizzlies when he pulled Brandon Clarke by his jersey collar to stop a layup.
The NBA decided it would not reduce despite widespread reaction that it did not warrant that. Green believes it was called based on his reputation.
Green also said on Monday that the foul would not change the way he plays and it certainly did prevent him from expressing his true feelings to the fans, either.
"It felt really good to flip ‘em off," Green said after the 106-101 loss. "You’re gonna boo someone that get elbowed in the eye and got blood down running down your face? I coulda had a concussion."
Meanwhile, Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks was ejected in Tuesday’s game in the first quarter for a Flagrant 2 for knocking Gary Payton II down to the ground on a layup.
Payton appeared to be in pain, grabbing his elbow, while Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wanted, and received, the Flagrant 2 call. Payton was forced to leave the game and was ruled out. Following the game, the Warriors announced Payton fractured his elbow and Kerr blasted Brooks, saying, "It was dirty. ... He broke the code."
Meanwhile, Green’s double bird was not even the first of its kind to happen during the NBA playoffs this year.
Last month, Nets’ Kyrie Irving flipped off Celtics fans multiple times in Game 1 of their first-round series.
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