Apr 19 2023 8 mins
Draymond Green
The NBA announced two reasons for suspending Draymond Green for Warriors-Kings Game 3: "stepping on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis" and "Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts."
NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars provided two more reasons for the suspension to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: Green's behavior in the aftermath of the stomp and Sabonis' apparent injury.
Green was shown on TV using profanity toward Sacramento fans. That typically draws league punishment, with or without Adam Silver in attendance. As a standalone incident, swearing at fans usually draws a fine, not a suspension. But this wasn't a standalone incident.
The Kings are listing Sabonis as questionable for tomorrow with a sternum contusion. Feel free to question whether that's an embellishment. But Golden State fans absolutely wanted Gary Payton II's injury considered when Dillon Brooks was punished last year.
Really, I think the biggest mistake was not listing these additional two reasons in the official release. If they factored into Green's suspension, say so initially.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are "absolutely livid" and "stunned" about the NBA's decision to suspend Green, Ramona Shelburne said on ESPN. Boohoo, I guess.
Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars, whose name was put on Draymond Green's suspension, said he didn't talk to Green until this morning – after the decision was made last night. Players facing suspension usually first talk to Dumars or Adam Silver, Ramona Shelburne said on ESPN, adding that was getting attention in Warriors circles.
However, league investigators interviewed Green (and Domantas Sabonis), according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. It's also unsaid whether Silver spoke directly to Green before the decision, though the implication seems to be they didn't talk.
A former Pistons player and executive, Dumars mentored Green, a Michigan native. Dumars also previously worked as a Kings executive. Maybe Dumars should have recused himself completely. At minimum, it was probably good the NBA had Green speak to investigators who could relay his side of the story neutrally to Dumars, Silver and everyone else involved rather than letting Green make a personal appeal to Dumars. That would've further complicated an already-complicated situation.
Whining about this small procedural issue hints at the flimsiness of Golden State's case.
As for Dumars, he said on ESPN he has relationships throughout the league and knew these situations were inevitable when he took the job. Silver also had a large say in the suspension, Wojnarowski said on ESPN.
Multiple jeopardy
"I think that Green is getting hit with all kinds of multiple jeopardy here — he’s already served the time for other incidents and now that’s being counted against him. He already was ejected for the deciding minutes of a playoff game, he already has two flagrant foul points and can get another suspension if he tallies two more points, and now his absence for Game 3 makes it more likely that the Warriors will lose the game and go down 0-3."
I have mixed feelings on whether Draymond Green should have been suspended. He stomped on Domantas Sabonis' chest and does have a history of unsportsmanlike acts. I believe Green's actions should be judged on their own merits. Sabonis being wrong doesn't excuse Green retaliating and escalating. I also believe it's reasonable to consider Green's history.
But also I found Kawakami's framing compelling. It does seem Green is getting concurrently punished from too many angles. That'd become especially apparent if Green gets a flagrant 2 that everyone agrees isn't suspension-worthy on its own. That would trigger a suspension because of the flagrant points earned in the Sabonis incident… which already drew its own suspension.
Russell Westbrook
As I said above, the NBA typically fines players for getting caught on video swearing at fans. But not always.
Russell Westbrook won't be punished for calling a Suns fan a "motherfucker" in a lounge in Phoenix's arena, an NBA spokesperson told me.
What an incredible upset victory for Westbrook's crusade to treat the "Westbrick" nickname like a slur. Hard to believe he wasn't given more leniency because he was provoked… by such a benign taunt.
Chris Paul-Kawhi Leonard
Chris Paul shoulder-bumped Kawhi Leonard after the Suns beat the Clippers last night. Animosity brewing two games into the series?
Not so, according to TNT's Chris Haynes, who said he saw the exchange up close. Per Haynes, Paul patted Leonard's midsection, Leonard slapped Paul's leg and the bump was accidental.
Clutch Player of the Year
De'Aaron Fox hit game-winners against the Magic (from near halfcourt!) and Bulls. He led the NBA in clutch scoring nearly no matter how you slice it – including 194 points with the score within five in the last five minutes, a lead over second-place DeMar DeRozan (159 points) larger than the gap between DeRozan and 10th place. Fox's efficiency (53% from the field with the score within five in the last five minutes) tops anyone within even the top 20 of attempts in such situations. For those of us who believe defense also matters late in close games, Fox also ranks second in steals with the score within five in the last five minutes (10 to Bam Adebayo's 12). Among the many things I've learned from Seth: Not all clutch situations are created equal. A team up five with 10 seconds left doesn't need a bucket like a team down three with 10 seconds left. Inpredictable also shows Fox adding more win probability in the clutch than anyone. Over and over, the Kings depended on Fox down the stretch and he delivered.
Yet, Fox's Clutch Player of the Year victory included no dramatics. He won the new award with 91 of 100 first-place votes. (And would've gotten mine with Jimmy Butler second and Joel Embiid third).
Full voting with first-, second- and third-place votes and voting points:
1. De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento 91-1-2-460
2. Jimmy Butler, Miami 1-24-27-104
3. DeMar DeRozan, Chicago 0-20-20-80
4. Jalen Brunson, New York 1-17-21-77
5. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 1-13-7-51
6. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland 1-8-3-32
7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City 1-7-5-31
8. Luka Doncic, Dallas 1-3-3-17
9. Stephen Curry, Golden State 2-1-2-15
10. Jayson Tatum, Boston 0-2-4-10
10. Damian Lillard, Portland 0-3-1-10
12. Kyrie Irving, Dallas 1-0-2-7
13. Nikola Jokic, Denver 0-1-2-5
14. Julius Randle, New York 0-0-1-1
Coach of the Year
While calling Suns-Clippers on Playback last night, Nate and Danny discussed whether De'Aaron Fox – or anyone – could repeat as Clutch Player of the Year. Nate wondered whether anyone has ever repeated as Coach of the Year.
The answer: No.
Coaches who came closest:
- Monty Williams (Suns): Second with 97% of Tom Thibodeau's voting points in 2021, won in 2022
- Steve Kerr (Warriors): Second with 92% of Mike Budenholzer's voting points in 2015, won in 2016
- Pat Riley (Knicks): Second with 81% of Don Nelson's voting points in 1992, won in 1993
However, it's probably easier for a coach to come close then win. The reigning Coach of the Year garnering support the following year seems quite difficult and probably speaks more to Nate's point.
Coach of the Year winners who came closest to repeating:
- Red Auerbach (Celtics): Won in 1965, second with 69% of Dolph Schayes' voting points in 1966
- Avery Johnson (Mavericks): Won in 2006, third with 68% of Sam Mitchell's voting points in 2007 (Jerry Sloan finished second)
- Tom Thibodeau (Bulls): Won in 2011, second with 67% of Gregg Popovich's voting points in 2012
- Mike D’Antoni (Suns): Won in 2005, second with 59% of Avery Johnson's voting points in 2006
Anyway, want conversations like this during commercials – and of course great play-by-play during the action? Watch Nate's and Danny's next Playback broadcast. The upcoming schedule will be updated here.
Derrick Jones Jr.
Bulls forward Derrick Jones Jr. will exercise his $3.36 million player option, he told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Jones was a borderline rotation player – more in than out – as the Bulls tried to fill their hole at power forward by committee. He was serviceable with his athleticism and defensive focus. Danny ranked him in the 44-64 range of power forwards.
Ideally, Chicago will upgrade the position. But given the uncertainty of that happening, I wouldn't mind locking in Jones at that price.
Charges
Kevin Pelton of ESPN makes a compelling case for expanding the restricted area.
However, Pelton notes that won't solve one issue: A single referee determining a defender's position at the exact moment the offensive player begins his upward motion. Even if outside the restricted area, defenders aren't allowed to move into the offensive player's path once he has begun his upward motion to shoot or pass. My ideal solution: Use technology to track players' positions. Even if that's not viable yet, make it a goal. The more of officiating that can be automated, the better. In the meantime, maybe add an extra referee or two.
-Dan Feldman
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