- Draymond Green was given an immediate flagrant 2 and was sent off the court
- Green previously put Rudy Gobert in a chokehold – leading to a five game ban
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Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green was ejected from a game for the third time this season on Tuesday night when he slapped Phoenix Suns opponent Jusuf Nurkic in the face.
Green was trying to break away from Nurkic before he wheeled around with an open hand and smacked him with enough force to send his opponent to the ground.
Nurkic immediately crumpled to the ground but eventually got up and stayed in the game.
The referees reviewed the play before calling Green for a Flagrant 2 foul, which causes an automatic ejection.
It’s the third time this season that Green has been ejected from a game and he will likely be handed yet another suspension.
Draymond Green (23) was ejected after slapping Jusuf Nurkic in the face – knocking him down
It’s the third time this season that the ill-disciplined Green has been ejected from a game
Green was given a five game suspension for putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold last month
His most recent ejection came after putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold back on November 14. That led to a five game suspension.
After that incident, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called Green’s actions ‘inexcusable’.
When handing down the five-game suspension, league executive VP Joe Dumars said that Green’s history of unsportsmanlike conduct played a role in how long the ban was.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr told Green he must ‘find a way to keep his poise and be out there for his teammates’
He had also been ejected after receiving two technical fouls in a November 11 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Green now has 19 ejections across his entire NBA career – the most among active players, but ten behind the all-time record held by Rasheed Wallace.
Speaking after his latest ejection on Tuesday night, coach Kerr said: ‘We need Draymond. He knows that. We’ve talked to him.
‘He’s got to find a way to keep his poise and be out there for his teammates.’
Asked what can be done to improve Green’s discipline, Kerr added: ‘We’ll keep working.’
Then questioned whether or not he’s becoming a hinderance, he said: ‘Draymond is still one hell of a player. Still a really good player and we need him.
‘If we’re going to be a really good team then we need him.’
Devin Booker scored 32 points and Bradley Beal added 16 in his return from a back injury as the Suns held on late to beat the Warriors 119-116.
The Suns took an 88-87 lead into the fourth quarter after Beal hit a baseline jumper with 1.9 seconds left.
Phoenix used a 12-0 run – highlighted by Jordan Goodwin’s steal, pass and then reverse dunk by Booker – to push ahead 109-96 with about four minutes left.
Devin Booker scored 32 points as the Suns held on late to beat the Warriors 119-116 in Phoenix
The Warriors trailed 113-104 with 1:30 left but rallied to cut the margin to 115-114 with 15 seconds left.
Booker responded with two free throws to give the Suns a three-point lead and Steph Curry missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing position.
Beal followed with two free throws to finally put away the game. The Suns are 3-0 this season against the Warriors.
Booker shot 12 of 23 from the field and added seven assists. Nurkic finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
The Suns’ big three of Booker, Beal and 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant still hasn’t played a game together this season. Durant missed his second straight game Tuesday with a left ankle sprain.