Draymond Green wasn't vital to the Golden State Warriors' offense in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. He scored just nine points on three total shots, and seven of those points came from the free throw line. But he did crank up the intensity in their 107-88 victory over the Boston Celtics, and his notorious physicality and instigating skills came in handy.
Green ignited an altercation with Celtics star Jaylen Brown late in the second quarter, after fouling him on a shot attempt. And when both players fell to the floor, some pushing and shoving ensued, and the referees had to break them up. The play was reviewed and called a common foul. But if it was a technical, it would've been Green's second of the game, resulting in automatic ejection. After the game, Green told ESPN that he's "earned differential treatment."
"I don't like that Green seems to be officiated somewhat differently than other players, even though there's star players on his team and the opposing team," Audacy NBA insider Ryan McDonough told The Zach Gelb Show on Tuesday. "One play that was jarring was his lead-blocker play, when Curry shot a three, and Draymond set a moving screen... The question I have is this: if that were Pritchard, Toscano-Anderson, or Horford, would the no-calls be the same?
"And if the answer is no, then why is that? I don't understand that. I personally think it does date back to the 2016 Finals -- when Draymond was ejected and then suspended against Cleveland... Ever since then, maybe he's officiated a little differently. Maybe he and the Warriors get more rope and leeway. I don't think that's how it should be... Seems to me like he's challenging the officials, saying, 'I know how you're going to officiate the game.'"
Golden State, which clinched the West's third seed with a 53-29 record, will visit Boston for Game 3 on Wednesday night, with tipoff scheduled for 9 ET. According to FiveThirtyEight's projections, the Warriors currently have a 21-percent chance to capture their fourth league title since 2015. If the Celtics hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy, it'll be their league-record 18th in team history.
The entire NBA Finals conversation between McDonough and Gelb can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The Zach Gelb Show on Twitter @ZachGelb and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.