In Tuesday’s 119-116 defeat to the Suns, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green received his third ejection of the season for striking Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkić. The incident occurred in the third quarter when Green, guarded by the center, unintentionally hit Nurkić in the face with his right arm, leading to a flagrant 2 foul and an automatic ejection.
Green, who insisted the hit was accidental, has a history of unsportsmanlike acts, including a recent five-game suspension for an altercation with Rudy Gobert. This marks Green’s third ejection this season, with previous incidents against the Cleveland Cavaliers and involvement with Gobert.
The 33-year-old awaits a decision from league officials on potential further action. Warriors coach Steve Kerr emphasized the team’s reliance on Green’s composure, acknowledging the need for him to stay on the court for the team’s success.
Despite Green’s absence, the Warriors stayed competitive. Two-time MVP Steph Curry contributed 24 points, five rebounds, and four assists, and rookie Brandon Podziemski impressed with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists off the bench.
“I apologize to Nurkić.”
Draymond says his intention was to not hit Nurkić, which led to his ejection pic.twitter.com/uy3tUcE7pG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2023
The Suns, missing star forward Kevin Durant due to injury, secured the win with All-Star guard Devin Booker leading the way with 32 points. Bradley Beal returned from a back injury to contribute 16 points.
With the loss, the Warriors find themselves at 10-13, currently 11th in the Western Conference and outside of the postseason Play-In spots. The Suns, on the other hand, improved to 13-10 after a significant victory over their conference rivals.
