NBA Suspends Draymond Green For Stomping Domantas Sabonis

NBA Suspends Draymond Green For Stomping Opposing Player, Domantas Sabonis in Playoff Game

Golden State Warriors enforcer, Draymond Green reacted to an opposing player grabbing his ankle during a playoff game against the Sacramento Kings by stomping on his chest. For that action, the NBA has suspended the championship Warrior for the next playoff game.

The National Basketball Association announced that Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations gave a statement saying that Green has been suspended. The league stated that the forward has been suspended one game without pay for stepping on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis.

Green’s prior history of unsportsmanlike acts during league play factored into the decision to keep him out of the next Warriors-Kings playoff contest.

When the two teams met on April 20, Green will sit out the game to serve his suspension at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors.

The incident that led to Green’s suspension took place with seven minutes left in the game on Monday, April 17. After a shot had been taken, Sabonis fell to the basketball court, and with Green within reach, he grabbed and held Green’s right ankle. Green yanked his leg from Sabonis’ grip and proceeded to forcefully step on the Kings player’s chest in retaliation. The referee saw the vicious action and blew the whistle to stop the game. Green was given a Flagrant Foul 2 and then was ejected from the contest. Since Sabonis initiated the action, he was assessed a technical foul.

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/KEnWx2qTvs

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 19, 2023

The play that led to the suspension can be seen in this video clip:

Sabonis is down after Draymond stepped on him. pic.twitter.com/6MwsNLT2Pj

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 18, 2023

The Warriors lost the playoff game 114-106 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. The game was played at the Sacramento Kings’ home court at Golden 1 Center.

NBC Sports reported that Sacramento’s All-Star center had suffered a sternum contusion after the stomping incident. The Kings released a statement regarding Sabonis.

“The Sacramento Kings announced today that center Domantas Sabonis received a medical evaluation that included X-ray imaging on Monday night and Tuesday afternoon. Results showed Sabonis sustained a sternum contusion during the fourth quarter versus the Golden State Warriors on Monday, April 17. Sabonis will be listed as questionable for Thursday’s game versus the Warriors.”

NBA Suspends Draymond Green For Stomping Opposing Player, Domantas Sabonis in Playoff Game