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During this mildly frustrating 2017-2018 NBA season, the Golden State Warriors have gotten into it with the referees more often than in years’ past. As a team, they lead the league in technical fouls. Individually, Draymond Green has the most technicals and Kevin Durant has the most ejections in the league.
In Saturday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, both teams were fiery and standoffish as most rivalries are. Durant and Carmelo Anthony got involved in an argument that resulted in a double technical, and Draymond Green was assessed a technical foul after yelling loudly after a tremendous block on Jerami Grant.
However, on Monday, the NBA rescinded the technical foul. Although the referee must have thought that Green was directing his yells at either him or Grant, the replays clearly show Green yelling at the crowd to pump them up.
Draymond Green : 10 points on 5-8 shooting, 5 rebounds & 8 assists in 34 minutes (Picked up his 15th technical foul this season. 1 away from a 1-game suspension with 22 games left to play) pic.twitter.com/jY9zT4HwUb
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) February 25, 2018
Refs generally have quick whistles when it comes to Green, who has a history of arguing with the officials. But Green was totally within his rights here.
This puts Draymond at two technical fouls away from an automatic one-game suspension (every two techs thereafter will net him an additional game suspended). Not only is this quite expensive for him, it could prove costly if he is suspended in the midst of the chase for the number one seed. On the other hand, it could be a good opportunity for him to get needed rest before the playoffs.
Luckily for Green and the Warriors, the technical foul count resets when the playoffs begin. Each player can accumulate seven technical fouls before a suspension. And Warriors fans know well what it’s like to lose Green due to technical foul calls in the playoffs, unless they’ve completely wiped the trauma of 2016 from their memories.
[Editor’s note: Draymond Green was actually suspended due to Flagrant foul points, which are tracked separately.]
The Warriors like Green’s fire, but it can get out of hand. Keeping the right balance of composure and passion is of utmost importance when the 2018 NBA Playoffs begin.