Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said Thursday that he deserved to be ejected for his actions less than four minutes into his team’s game against the Orlando Magic.
Green received his 19th career regular-season ejection from an NBA game and fourth this season after an exchange with official Ray Acosta on Wednesday.
Green initially took issue with Acosta after being whistled for a personal foul, then approached the official again after teammate Stephen Curry was called for a shooting foul. Green received a technical foul after yelling at Acosta, and he was whistled for another as he continued his unsolicited commentary.
“It just can’t happen,” Green said Thursday on “The Draymond Green Show” podcast. “I said what I said. I deserved to be kicked out at that point. If I’m all the way honest with y’all, kind of was trying to turn my body and angle it to go to the bench, but I said what I said a little too soon before angling my body. … But, yeah, it just can’t happen.”
The Warriors defeated the Magic 101-93.
Green, 34, was suspended indefinitely by the NBA after hitting the Phoenix Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic in the face during a game on Dec. 12 and wound up missing 12 games. Green also was suspended five games for putting Minnesota Timberwolves forward Rudy Gobert in a headlock in November.
A four-time NBA champion and four-time All-Star, Green is averaging 8.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 47 games (44 starts) this season.
