Yesterday evening, Draymond Green resorted to his familiar tactics by grabbing Patty Mills’ neck/head, a move that was questionable at best and exemplified Draymond’s typical shadiness at worst.
That moment made it clear that perhaps all the talk of change hadn’t truly taken hold yet. A move like that was reminiscent of the Draymond Green from before therapy, and although he only received a common foul, it was undeniably a troubling play. Targeting the neck area can cause serious harm, which is why there are strict rules against it.
What we failed to anticipate was that this incident was just the beginning. The Warriors are back in action tonight with a back-to-back game against the Magic, a match they essentially must win. With the Rockets closing in on their playoff spot and the Warriors lacking their first-round pick, missing out on the play-in would be disastrous. This situation calls for everyone on the roster to step up and get serious.
However, what does Draymond do tonight? He gets ejected within the first four minutes of the game.
That’s a guy who appears to have had enough of Draymond’s antics, and honestly, who could blame him at this stage? These games are crucial, and Draymond is a key component for the Warriors. Yet here he is once again causing problems for the team. Considering he already disrupted one of their seasons by punching Jordan Poole in the face, it must be incredibly frustrating for Steph Curry, who is doing everything he can to steer the team back on track.
Now, I’ll concede that Draymond might have a point regarding the questionable technical fouls and ejections. NBA referees have been overly sensitive all season, handing out some of the softest techs imaginable. There’s no doubt in my mind that the official in question is being unreasonable. However, that doesn’t mean I’m going to defend Draymond here. He should know better than to give the referee any excuse to penalize him, let alone with two quick techs resulting in an ejection. He wasn’t even directly involved in the play!
Even though the Warriors managed to secure the win, it’s still a bad look for someone who is supposed to be a “leader” on the team, especially after all the talk about personal growth and change. It seems like one night Draymond is resorting to dirty tactics, and the next he’s getting himself ejected from a crucial game while the Warriors’ season hangs in the balance, barely minutes into the first quarter. At what point does the cost outweigh the benefit?
When you tally it all up, it feels like the same old Draymond to me. And as evident from recent events, even Steph Curry has had enough of the nonsense.