Draymond Green unpunished antics vs. Celtics in Game 2 creates problematic precedent for NBA Finals

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2022/06/draymond-green-unpunished-antics-vs-celtics-in-game-2-creates-problematic-precedent-for-nba-finals-brian-robb.html



Draymond Green unpunished antics vs. Celtics in Game 2 creates problematic precedent for NBA Finals



Published: Jun. 06, 2022, 9:14 a.m.



Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) gestures toward referee Josh Tiven during the first half of Game 2 of basketball's NBA Finals between the Warriors and the Boston Celtics in San Francisco, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)AP


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



Draymond Green saw how the Bucks and Heat took the Celtics out of their rhythm in parts of the last two series with their physicality and appeared determined to do the same with Boston in Game 2.

Green got after the Celtics from the opening tip, tying Al Horford for a jump ball on the first possession of the game, setting the tone for a barrage of physical play and borderline antics that led to Boston gripping to the officials for much of the night.


Green was ultimately whistled for a technical foul in the first quarter after a dust up with Grant Williams. He normally would have gotten a second one after hanging his legs over the head of Jaylen Brown following a 3-point shooting foul late in the second quarter. However, Green took advantage of the massive stage in this instance and the fact the league and officials would not want to throw out a pivotal player from the game in such a crucial spot. It’s a fact that former NBA official Steve Javie willingly admitted on the ABC broadcast.


“The two guys are going after each other,” Javie said. “You have to consider one player has a technical foul. Is this enough to call a double technical and eject the one player? Personally, I would say nothing and let it diffuse as that.”

The NBA will never outright admit to that philosophy like Javie did publicly but Green was happy to take advantage of the fact that he knows he can push the envelope.

“This is the NBA Finals,” Green told ESPN after Game 2. “I wear my badge of honor. It’s not that I’m saying they necessarily treat me different. I’ve earned differential treatment. I enjoy that; I embrace that. But I’m never going to let someone stand over me. I’m a man first. My kids are in the stands. I don’t play like those types of games. Whatever happens at that point happens.”


Green also elaborated on how he played and was officiated in his postgame interview with reporters.

“For me to sit back and say, oh, I’m going to push it to this edge and try to pull back, that don’t work,” Green said. “I got to be me. So with the first tech, it is what it is. That’s not going to stop me from being aggressive or doing what I do on the basketball court. Just got to live with the results.”

The Celtics did not lose Game 2 because of this on Sunday night. Poor shooting and countless turnovers were the main reason for that. However, the double standard that the NBA is creating by letting Green get this extra leeway with his physicality and antics is potentially setting a troublesome double standard as this series continues. Boston was whistled for a number of soft, borderline calls in the first half, including a foul on Brown that sent him to the bench early with two fouls.


“I was just being aggressive to start the game, feeling great,” Brown said. “I got a call, I guess in the first half, that put me on the sideline. I don’t feel like I touched Gary Payton and I expressed that, but they called the foul on me. That sat me down. Can’t let that be the reason why in the second half I wasn’t able to be as effective, but definitely changed the game with that phantom call.”

The problem for the NBA in this game was how the contest was handled from a physicality standpoint. It’s understandable that the league does not want to throw out one of the best players in the series for a double technical foul and is also willing to let increased physicality go. However, that kind of latitude needs to be given to both sides as this series continues in order to create a level playing field.


The Celtics did not get that luxury in Game 2. While the Warriors tough defensive pressure from Green and company hounded Boston into 19 turnovers, Boston was whistled for a number of borderline fouls in the first quarter that gave the Warriors a number of trips to the foul line despite their offense floundering early. That combined with the Brown foul and Boston not getting a decent whistle on their own drives to the basket led to Ime Udoka venting in the third quarter with a purposeful technical foul.

“I just let them know how I felt throughout the game in a demonstrative way, on purpose, to get a technical,” Udoka declared.


As the series shifts back to Boston now for Game 3, Green is likely to keep up these types of antics as long as the officials let him get away with it. It’s fine for the NBA to give the game more leeway for the sake of the product but they need to make sure it’s a two-way street. Otherwise, they will be setting a dangerous precedent with how they are handling one player and team pushing the envelope with minimal repercussions.


Bob
MY NOTE:  "It’s not that I’m saying they necessarily treat me different. I’ve earned differential treatment. I enjoy that; I embrace that."  Aside from the general GSW arrogance that will come from multiple World Championships this is an explicit no two ways about it admission that he's getting breaks just because of who he is and that he thinks that makes him entitled to change the game in ways beyond making basketball plays.  I am pretty confident that Adam Silver etal will hear/read this.  He, and the rest of the league office, are extremely conscious of the league's image and how it's being represented by coaches and players.  They fine people for publicly talking smack about the officiating even when it's abundantly obvious it sucks, don't they?  Well, we just heard a player impugn the integrity of the referreeing and "embrace it".  The question is "what will they do about it?"  Will they acquiesce and let him continue to get that special treatment and, in doing so make it clear the game is knowingly intentionally corrupt, or will they send a message?  I don't expect them to fine him, he didn't go after the refs, but will they start blowing whistles on him he thinks he's too good for?  


.

No question the replay showed Jaylen did not tough Payton on the 2nd phantom foul call. Draymon should have been given that 2nd tech as well. He even tried pulling down Jaylen's shorts!

Didn't know we were going to a Hoedown!!



Note: In Maine (and elsewhere?) a hoedown is when one's shorts are suddenly pulled down, usually to publicly embarrass the target. It's mostly considered to be a bullying tactic and sophomoric.

The refs disgraced themselves yesterday. Draymon is always a disgrace.

gyso wrote:

I honestly cannot remember a more ridiculous foul call than this one.


Bob


.

An obviously incorrect foul but a pretty good NFL offensive lineman blocking move by Draymon.

worcester wrote:An obviously incorrect foul but a pretty good NFL offensive lineman blocking move by Draymon.

You're right! He's nice and low, feet wide and driving with the legs, got the head out of the way off to the side and slightly raised.

Then there was the play where Green ran into three Celtics players in a row coming down the floor.  Steph followed in his wake and stepped into a 3-pointer.

Moving picks all.  

It was this Comment from the Other Side:

Lmao Draymond pancaking Celtics like an offensive lineman

The C's need to make a video of some of this and send it to the league from their legal department. Maybe fans need to start a class-action suit. Time to lawyer up?  

Not only the phantom Grant foul, what about the second foul on Jaylen for absolutely no reason.
Adam Silver sat and watched that game last night, he was at tje Golden State arena/ I hope he squirmed watching those guys out there calling the game. Why in the world does Draymond Green get the right to fight for calls against his team, but JT raises his arms and he is hit with a tech. Tired of this game we are watching. There is no doubt, they want a 7 game series, and a GSW win. I am disgusted.

I am not using the ref's as an excuse for the way the Celtics played last night (or should I say, did not play). They deserved to lose. It is not a one quarter game, it is four and that is how many they have to play well to win. I was almost sad to watch them. their body language showed it in the second half. They gave up, period. This is not the Celtic team that clawed it's way into the playoffs. It was the team we watched in November, December, and the first part of January. Awful.

Steve Javie made a fool of himself and the league last night Draymond deserved to be thown out of that game. He started right in the beginning and never stopped.. Dirty, that is what I will call him. I know many will defend him, sorry, he goes ot there hoping to hurt someone. that is dirty

Steve Javie confessing or admitting to preferential treatment after tech number 1 is appalling. Thinking it is one thing. Telling the entire world that the 2nd tech, depending on WHO you are will be looked at differently then the first is dumb as s##t!
The casual fan already suspects that the fix is in and the league via Steve Javie Confirmed it last night. 
The fact that Green can blatantly do this and then Brag about it as if its okay because its Dray Dray puts a dark shadow over what is supposed to be one of the greatest sporting events in the world- The Finals.
This needs to be addressed post haste. Disgusting!

Its official. The NBA Finals are tarnished. Tarnished not because we played like “oh well”, Tarnished because the league let a War Criminal run amuck last night playing everything but the game of basketball.
Silver better straighten this sh** out. His product stinks like a dead body behind a trapdoor!.

gyso wrote:Didn't know we were going to a Hoedown!!



Note: In Maine (and elsewhere?) a hoedown is when one's shorts are suddenly pulled down, usually to publicly embarrass the target.  It's mostly considered to be a bullying tactic and sophomoric.

Draymond Green is a low down Hoe..down.

It's hard to imagine refs not being extra strict with Draymon going forward. He publicly embarrassed them by saying out loud that he was receiving preferential treatment (which he was).

Green aside, the Celts need to play much better Wednesday night. They can, and I expect they will, particularly Al, Rob, and Marcus.

Why is it like herding cats to get us to play two decent games in a row?  Technically, we don't have to play/win two games in a row this series.  Since GS lost the first game, all we have to do is win Games 1,3,5 & 7 but two of those remaining three are in GS.  Not sayin' we can't do that because we love the road this year but all it takes is one bad game.  GS at some point will need to win two games in a row to get back on track starting with G3.

Let's hope Draymond just shot himself in the foot.  I like my idea.  As much as the players can yammer at the refs, the refs and yammer back at them, pointing out everything they are doing wrong on the floor, laughing and snickering at them when they mess up, all of course with no recourse.  

Say things like, "I saw a shot like that in a G-League game I was reffing recently.  You know they've got openings.  They need players like you there."  

"Your gramma teach you to shoot like a girl? Your shots messed up!"

"You have your eyes shut on that shot? When you miss everything like that, you have to have had you eyes shut!"

Stuff like that.  Let the refs trash talk the players like Larry Bird...non stop for 48 minutes.  Have them mic'ed as well.  All 3 of them. Now THAT'S entertainment!!

I'd pay LP $50 more just for that feed!

db

I am ready…..let’s bring Kevin McHale back and have his behead Green one good time. It is worth the fine. Other than Smart, i am not sure we have anyone who would be a worthy nominee.

You want to play dirty, I’ll show you dirty!!!!!!!

Of course Cow is now saying to himself:"This is why we needed Moses Brown!"

Unfortunately Draymon does not wear a Gi.

I'd push all-in on the over/under or whatever it's called for Green being ejected tomorrow....2 Techs.  It's gotta be bigger than than JT bet going into the last game for him making 4 or more 3's...$100 in for $1,000.  I'd drop a $1,000 on the 2 T's if I were single and had no one to answer to!!  Ahhhhh the filter of marriage!!

db

I get knocked down
but I get up again
Cause you're never gonna keep me down...

Chumbawamba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5uWRjFsGc