Draymond Green’s stance on his near-second technical foul Sunday night can be summed up simply: If what happened was egregious, his reputation would have ensured hes was ejected.
Green got a technical in the first quarter of the Warriors’ eventual win over the Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals for getting tangled up with Grant Williams. Later in the half, he got mixed up with Jaylen Brown, fouling the Celtics wing as he shot and then tugging at his shorts after they got tied up.
The situation, which required a review, was determined not to be a second technical for Green, which would have resulted in an ejection. Causing more of a stir was ESPN/ABC NBA rules analyst Steve Javie admitting on the broadcast that, basically, referees can be selective in handing out second techs.
Green, addressing the whole ordeal on his podcast, agrees with that.
“The small technical foul controversy, I saw where Javie said you make the decision if someone has a tech or not – and the reality is that makes sense,” Green said. “People want to make it out to be a controversy, (but) that makes sense. Nobody’s paying to watch this stuff to see guys getting thrown out of the game and you’re not seeing the game you’re wanting to watch. So I understand and agree.
“Yes, if there is something egregious I’m going to get thrown out, as we know. Nobody is sparing me, nor do I expect to be spared nor do I want to be spared. But if it’s something that’s not egregious, you probably shouldn’t get thrown out of the game. I had no clue that people thought I was even that close to being thrown out, because I don’t play the game worried about getting thrown out or not. I play the game, ultimately, chasing the level of physicality that I want the game to be at, and however you got to get that done you get that done.”
When players pick up one tech, they’ll generally tread a little more carefully.
That’s not a method Green plans to employ.
"To hear that was some type of little controversy or whatever, it was news to me,” Green said. “Ten years in, I ain’t changed up until this point – why change now? Three championships later, four All-Stars later, seven All-Defensive teams later – why change now? Being who you want me to be or being who you think I should be don’t work for me, but being who I am and who I know I am and staying true to that, that works for me.”
Green staying in was huge for the Warriors, who leaned on his energy as they evened the series, which now shifts to Boston.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram