The tape just keeps making it look worse.
It’s been roughly 36 hours since the Warriors bested the Celtics 107-88 in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and the unfathomable deference that officials showed Draymond Green continues to stand out. On Sunday night, there was an understandable focus on Green’s miraculous avoidance of a second technical foul when he plowed into Jaylen Brown and then refused to get off him.
But there are far more examples of his dirty play than that.
Check out Green blocking multiple Celtics defenders like a fullback or offensive guard while Steph Curry was crossing half court. How was Green not whistled for an illegal screen?
Draymond was lead blocking like a fullback 💀💀 pic.twitter.com/qU67TQs34q
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) June 6, 2022
According to NBA rules, an illegal screen occurs when the offensive player setting the screen off the ball (Green) moves into the path of a moving defensive player, and doesn’t give them the opportunity to avoid contact.
That describes exactly what Green did. First he pushed into Grant Williams, and then he barreled his way into Derrick White and Al Horford before Curry launched up a three.
Green was all over Grant Williams, plowing into him early and often, and exchanging some light shoves. Referees did call Green for a technical after an altercation with Williams in the first quarter.
But they still allowed a lot of contact to go uncalled.
After the game, Green boasted about his ability to get away with breaking the rules.
“It’s the NBA finals. Like I said, I wear my badge of honor,” he told reporters. “It’s not that I’m saying they necessarily treat me different. I’ve earned differential treatment. I enjoy that. I embrace that.”
The Celtics have a lot of issues to fix in Game 3. But their jobs will be a little easier if Green isn’t allowed to play like he’s wearing shoulder pads.
