Draymond Green’s suspension is deserved, Warriors’ Kerr says

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn’t hesitate Thursday to call out forward Draymond Green for the actions that earned him a five-game suspension.

“He went too far,” Kerr said before the Warriors’ 128-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “Draymond was wrong. He knows it. It’s a bad look, and the five games are deserved.”

On Tuesday night, Green was one of three players ejected after a fight in which he grabbed Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert around the neck.

Green first made contact with Gobert after Gobert attempted to take Klay Thompson off Jaden McDaniels. The altercation began when Thompson and McDaniels found themselves linked to each other in transition.

Coaches and players forced Green to move on from Gobert while others separated McDaniels and Thompson. After a review, McDaniels and Thompson were assessed two technical fouls each, and Green received a flagrant foul 2.

“I have no problem with [Green] I’m trying to get Rudy off Klay… but he has to let go,” Kerr said. “He held on for six, seven seconds. It was a terrible visual for the league, for Draymond and for everyone.”

The NBA announced Green’s suspension Wednesday evening, and in a statement, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said Green escalated an altercation on the court “in an unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner.”

Dumars also said Green’s past offenses played a role in the length of the suspension.

“Draymond has to find a way to not cross the line,” Kerr said. “I’m not talking about an expulsion or a technique, I’m talking about an act of physical violence. This is inexcusable. We must do everything we can to provide him with the help and assistance he needs. needs to be able to pull that off.” It’s a fine line between being an incredible competitor… but he can’t cross that line. He crossed it the other night, that’s for sure. “

This is Green’s fifth career suspension. Most recently, he was suspended for Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs against Sacramento last season after stomping on the chest of Kings center Domantas Sabonis.

Most notably, Green was suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals.