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Following the actions of Philadelphia 76ers co-stars Joel Embiid and James Harden, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green gave his thoughts on how the referees handled both Embiid’s and Harden’s altercations during Game 3 against the Brooklyn Nets on “The Draymond Green Show.”
“I also know everyone wants to know my opinion on Joel Embiid. I also know everyone wants my opinion on James Harden,” Green said. “I’m never in favor of a player getting suspended. I’m never in favor of seeing a player get kicked out of the game, so, buck stops there… What I won’t do is get on here like, ‘Man, Joel should have been suspended!’ That’s whack. ‘James should have been kicked out!’ That’s whack. This is playoff basketball.”
Green himself got into some controversy when he stepped on Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis during Game 2 of the first-round series between the Warriors and Kings, earning him both an ejection and a suspension for Game 3.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the NBA would take no further action against Embiid or Harden after their actions in Game 3.
Doc Rivers Disagrees With Draymond Green’s Suspension
Sixers head coach Doc Rivers told reporters after Game 3 that not only did he disagree with the NBA’s decision to suspend Green, but he believed that suspending Green would set a bad example for the league.
“Listen, and I’m gonna say this, I probably shouldn’t, I didn’t think Draymond should have got suspended and I think that league is setting up a very dangerous precedent right now,” Rivers said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Rivers elaborated that the NBA should punish not only those who retaliate but also those who taunt, while simultaneously disagreeing with Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn‘s plea for Embiid to get kicked out.
“I said it kind of yesterday before,” Rivers said. “I wish I’d said it louder, but if we’re going to start punishing the retaliators and not the instigators, then we got a problem in this league because you know, and as a coach and I love Jacque, but I can’t believe we have coaches campaigning for guys not to play. That’s just nuts to me.”
Joel Embiid Ruled Out For Game 4
Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne reported that Embiid will miss Game 4 against the Nets because of a knee injury while adding the timetable for his return.
“Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid sustained a right knee sprain and will miss Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
“Embiid, who returned to Philadelphia on Friday to undergo an MRI on the knee, could be back in the lineup as soon as early next week,” Wojnarowski and Shelburne reported.
They added the uncertainty surrounding if Embiid would come back for Game 5 in case the Nets extended the series.
“Still, it’s unclear if that return would come in time for a potential Game 5 on Monday if the Sixers don’t close out the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series on Saturday in Brooklyn.”
The Sixers have a commanding 3-0 lead over the Nets, so Embiid’s absence won’t hurt them too much in the short term.
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