OAKLAND -- Golden State forward Draymond Green said he should not have been the only player to receive a flagrant foul 1 late in Monday's 116-101victory over the San Antonio Spursin Game 2 of their first-round series.
Green said Spurs forward Davis Bertans played a role in the incident, which occurred with 4:52 left in the contest, and warranted the same penalty. The two players were battling for position to collect a rebound. Bertans was sealed off by Green, and Bertans' left elbow appeared to be planted near Green's throat. Green reacted by swinging his right elbow into Bertans' chest, and the follow-through appeared to make contact with Bertans' chin.
Bertans dropped to the hardwood holding his face.
"I think it was a little bit of a flop," Green said at the podium, after producing nine points, five boards and six assists. "I don't even know if I hit him, but if I did -- I'm not saying I didn't, I don't know -- but if it's going to be a flagrant foul, shouldn't it be a double flagrant? Like, I can just get grabbed around my neck? I'm not going to sit up here and say I did nothing. I've got to get someone off my neck, though. If you're going to penalize me, then why not penalize both? That's really my only thing."
Green was animated and irate after the officials reviewed the play and made their ruling. Bertans then missed the free throw.
Green has one flagrant point on his record this postseason; if he exceeds three points, he will receive an automatic suspension for the following game. Green accumulated five flagrant points during the 2016 postseason, and it earned him a suspension for Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Warriors, after going up 3-1 in the series, lost the final three games as Cleveland won its first championship.
Green said he's not concerned about the flagrant point.
"Nah, I don't care. It is what it is," Green responded. "Life goes on. There's more important things in life than worrying about a flagrant point. Maybe it'll get rescinded. I got choked, put in a chokehold like I was in the WWE or something. So it might get rescinded. Who knows?"