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After initially defending Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that his star forward deserved the five-game suspension for his chokehold on Rudy Gobert.
“He took it too far,” Kerr said via ESPN before the Warriors fell 128-109 to the Oklahoma City Thunder for their fifth straight loss. “Draymond was wrong. He knows that. It’s a bad look, and the five games are deserved.”
It was a stark contrast when Kerr weighed in on the incident right after their loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, November 15.
“If you watch the replay, Rudy had his hands on Klay’s neck and that’s why Draymond went after Rudy, and that’s how I saw one replay right after it happened,” Kerr said at that time. “Guys on the back of the bench were telling us that Rudy had Klay and that’s why Draymond went after Rudy, so that’s all I know. But it was a bizarre way to start the game a minute and a half in.”
Green was one of the three players ejected, but he was the only one who drew a suspension.
Klay Thompson, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert were only fined $25,000 each for their roles in the fracas.
Green’s long history as a repeat offender was a huge factor in the NBA’s decision to suspend him for the fifth time in his career.
Kerr said he doesn’t have a problem with Green trying to pull Gobert away from Thompson.
“But he’s got to let go,” Kerr said. “He hung on for six, seven seconds. It was a terrible visual for the league, for Draymond and for everybody.”
Gobert called out Green and described his chokehold as “clown behavior.”
“Draymond has to find a way to not cross the line,” Kerr said via ESPN. “I’m not talking about getting an ejection or a technical, I’m talking about a physical act of violence. That’s inexcusable. We have to do everything we can to give him the help and assistance he needs to be able to draw that distinction between being an incredible competitor … but he can’t cross that line. He crossed it the other night, for sure.”
Gui Santos Makes Warriors Debut
Brazilan forward Gui Santos made his NBA debut with the Warriors in the loss.
Santos, Golden State’s second-round draft pick in 2022, checked in with 3:52 left for Jonathan Kuminga. He made his presence felt right away, grabbing an offensive rebound. He scored his first NBA field goal on a cutting layup off Brandin Podziemski’s assist with 2:40 left.
Santos tallied two points, three rebounds and one assist in four minutes of action. He is the third Brazilian to play for the Warriors after Anderson Varejao and Leandro Barbosa.
Shorthanded Warriors
Gary Payton II left the second quarter with a sprained left ankle and did not return. But the team later announced his X-rays came back negative.
The Warriors are already without Stephen Curry, their leading scorer, who missed his second straight game with a sore right knee, and Green.
Payton II and Curry’s status is day-to-day.
Green will be eligible to return on Nov. 28 against the Sacramento Kings.
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