By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
During Game 2 of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs between the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors, won by the home side 114-106, an incident between Draymond Green and Domantas Sabonis occurred in the first half of the fourth quarter.
The American power forward appeared to stomp on the Lithuanian center, but the 4x NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors commented after the game that the former Indiana Pacers big man grabbed his leg for the “second time in two nights”. To prove it, as reported by Marc J. Spears, Draymond Green asked for an X-ray on his right ankle after feeling soreness.
Domantas Sabonis, on the other side, denied the fact that he apparently grabbed Green’s leg to cause the issue. “When I fell, I was protecting myself, and then the incident happened. There is no room for that in our game today. I feel like it’s the playoffs. A lot of things happen. I get pushed, I’m falling on the floor, I’m just trying to protect myself”, the 26-year-old dominating center said before praising his opponent. “He’s a great player. He comes in, he competes. He’s the defending champion, we know it’s going to be a physical battle out there”, Domantas Sabonis added.
Following the loss, Draymond Green’s teammate Klay Thompson protected the Michigan State University Spartans’ product and accused Domantas Sabonis. “What are you going to do when someone grabs your foot when you’re running full speed? That’s a dirty play, fully grabs your foot and yanks on you, that’s not cool, man. I’m not saying what Draymond did was right, but, like, you can’t just grab somebody’s foot when they’re taking off in a full sprint, that’s not cool. I don’t do that. That’s crazy”, the shooting guard explained.
Voices from outside the court came as well, as Shaquille O’Neal took sides with Draymond Green. “One bad play begets another bad play… I’m not going to sit up here and be a hypocrite. I’d do the same thing, I really would. Don’t be grabbing me because what am I gonna do? If I stay there and just try to run forward, I’ll fall. You got to get him above you. And if you’re above and if you’re in the way, you might get stomped on. Was it a dirty play? Of course, it was a dirty play”, the legendary center said.
Sabonis on what happened during the incident with Draymond: pic.twitter.com/OrC2i9bckc
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 18, 2023
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images