Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors steps over Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings in the second half during Game Two of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Golden 1 Center on April 17, 2023 in Sacramento, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green is facing possible suspension after getting ejected late in Game 2 of their first round series against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday (Manila time).
Green was thrown out after stepping on the chest of Kings center Domantas Sabonis after the two got tangled up with seven minutes left in the game.
“I’ve got to land my foot somewhere,” said Green. “I can only step so far when I’m pulling my leg away. It is what it is.”
“We were both fighting for the rebound, we fell on each other, stuff happens, it’s basketball. We’ve got to move on to the next play,” said Sabonis, who was called for a technical for grabbing Green’s foot.
The Kings won, 114-106, to grab a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series behind Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, who both finished with 24 points apiece.
Draymond Green and Domantas Sabonis get twisted up.
Green was issued a flagrant 2 (ejected) and Sabonis was issued a technical.
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Steph Curry finished with a game-high 28 points while Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson added 22 and 21, respectively.
Green, the Warriors’ defensive anchor, had eight points, four rebounds and five assists before exiting the court.
“We didn’t play well enough to win a playoff game on the road,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “With that said, it was a tie game with a few minutes left.
“We know we have to play better, and we will play better. These guys are champions. The way our guys fought showed what they’re made of.”
It marked the first time the Warriors fell to a 2-0 hole in a series since Kerr took over as coach in 2014.
The series shifts to San Francisco for Games 3 and 4 beginning Friday.