Getty/Ron Jenkins Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors questions a backcourt violation call by referee Marc Davis in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at American Airlines Arena in Dallas.
As if the NBA lead referee, Marc Davis, couldn’t get more embarrassed during Game 3 between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks.
After failing to get Mavericks Theo Pinson to change his white shirt before tip-off, Davis ruined a Dubs moment that would rank up there with Baron Davis’ playoff dunk over Andrei Kirilenko in 2007.
With just under seven minutes left in the game, Andrew Wiggins drove to the rim and hammered a thunderous dunk over Mavs superstar Luka Doncic.
Referee Davis did not hesitate and immediately called an offensive foul on Wiggins, prompting a challenge by Warriors’ Steve Kerr, which was successful.
After the game, Steph Curry sarcastically complimented Davis for deeming that an offensive foul, since it allowed everyone to watch endless replays of the dunk.
“It was unbelievable,” Steph Curry says after Game 3. “And we got to see 800 replays because of the challenge so appreciate you, Marc [Davis]. That was nice.”
Even with one technical foul from earlier in the game, Draymond Green could be heard yelling at referee Davis with some choice words after the challenge was successful.
Draymond Green Goes Off on Call After Game on Podcast
Not surprisingly, Green was not done talking about that call.
Green smartly waited until after the game when he could not be ejected and lashed out at the offensive foul call without mentioning the referee’s name.
“I hate that the play was stopped by the offensive foul call,” Green said on the Draymond Green Show. “I know that we still got the two points and the dunk counted, it just sucks that those emotions weren’t able to be felt right there in that game. Once the review happens and it counts and all of that, it’s cool, but it’s not the same emotion than when the dunk just happened.
What Green said has credence. It’s similar to when someone tells a joke, but the other person doesn’t get it until the context is explained to them. By that time, the moment to laugh is already ruined, just like the moment for authentic reactions immediately after the Wiggins’ dunk.
Draymond Green Was Penalized Earlier for Another Bad Call
With just under the mid-way portion of the second quarter, Green was whistled for an over-and-back call that was not the right call. The Dubs forward had both feet legally across the half-court line, yet referee Davis seemed to miss it and called the violation.
Draymond was given a backcourt violation for this 🧐
Green was quickly whistled for a technical foul for complaining about the call and had some choice words to say to Davis on the ensuing Warriors’ timeout.
“That’s ridiculous,” Draymond yells at Davis. “This ain’t about you!”
After the game, Green addressed the play and technical call on him. It sure seems like the bombastic forward and the Dubs got the last laugh.
“I got a tech for saying ‘that’s wack,'” Green said during the postgame presser. “So yeah, I was pissed off but thanks. That helped me play a lot better. I appreciate it.”