A forearm strike to the head of Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in December earned Draymond Green a suspension that ultimately cost him 16 games, but it was the Warriors forward/center who got the last laugh in a 113-112 win over Phoenix on Saturday.
As Kendra Andrews of ESPN writes, Nurkic and Green exchanged words a few minutes into the fourth quarter after a foul was called on Green. Several seconds later, Nurkic was whistled for an offensive foul against Green, prompting the former Defensive Player of the Year to point to his own head twice on his way back up the court.
“I was calling him a dummy when I was pointing to my head,” Green said. “I wasn’t saying I was keeping my head. I was saying, you can’t start talking and then charge into me. That’s not smart.”
The two big men got into it again in the third quarter when Nurkic scored over Green and taunted him with a “too small” gesture. Green returned the favor a couple minutes later by backing down Nurkic for a basket and making the same gesture.
“You can’t be a nothing defender if you’re going to do that,” Green said. “You probably outweigh me by 70 pounds and you get put in the rim? Got to be more careful.”
Following December’s incident, Nurkic wished Green well as the Warriors star underwent counseling and learned to manage his behavior following a series of violent on-court incidents. However, his tone had changed following Saturday’s game, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic details.
“It’s sad,” Nurkic said. “He didn’t learn anything, man. Just a matter of time. He’s going to knock somebody else again. Take everything back what I said. He don’t deserve a chance.
“… Just his antics,” Nurkic continued when asked why he felt Green hadn’t changed. “Try to hit people. The stuff he shouldn’t do, but I don’t care. At the end of the day, he tried to play that way. No one is worried about him. They got the win tonight. We’ll see what happens in a few games.”
As Nurkic’s comments reached the Warriors’ locker room, some key members of the team scoffed at them, suggesting that Green’s ability to play a physical, fiery game without crossing the line was a sign that he had taken the lessons learned during his suspension to heart. Green was assessed with a technical foul on Saturday for the first time since returning from his 16-game absence, but helped lead the team to victory with 15 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds.
“That month off, that suspension was real,” head coach Steve Kerr said, per Andrews. “(Draymond) knew that his career was on the line or is on the line. He understands that he’s got to be the guy he’s been the last nine years, not the one he’s been the last year. I see him doing that.”
Stephen Curry, who hit the game-winning shot in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, called Nurkic’s comments “idiotic.”
“You can tell when someone is in your head when you go out of your way to celebrate,” Curry said of Nurkic’s “too small” gesture. “Then Draymond comes back at him. All of the talk, Draymond was in his head — plain and simple.”
Nurcic is wrong he was trying to get a technical on draymond but nurc hasn’t played defense in his life 1 time soo…..
Nurkic is a clown. Fake tough guy. Even that slap to his face shouldn’t have sent a 7’ 280 pound man to the ground. It was Oscar worthy and if it wasn’t all it shows is that nurkic is a soft b word. He started everything last night with his antics and then took an L. It’s Clown behavior. I thought they made them tough where he was from but he definitely not built for battle
Nurkic was not really wrong to try and get a known hot head in Draymond tossed. Teams on the right side of the scenario used to encourage this type of thing. Nurkic is the 4th most important player in the game for Phoenix. Draymond is the 2nd most important for Golden State. If Draymond, or they both get tossed the win goes to Nurkic.
Old head Knick fans will remember Jo Jo English with the Bulls. 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. English, who wasn’t even a rotation player, checks into the game. Immediately walks up to Derek Harper, one of the Knicks best players, and starts talking in his ear. We don’t know what he said, but whatever it was triggered Harper, and a brawl ensues. Harper and English get tossed. Harper gets suspended 2 games and English 1 game. End of bench guy knocks out Knicks point guard. This was the Scottie Pippen-led Bulls that went to the ECF the year after Jordan retired.
Nurkic was trying to get Green into a technical. Everyone in the building could see that he was going after Green on purpose. Green did get a T but after arguing with a Ref when Booker landed on Green’s back and no foul was called. Nurkic argued with a Ref but didn’t get a T on another play. Green got to be smart and see Refs do not give him anything.
“You can tell when someone is in your head when you go out of your way to celebrate” said the player that always goes out of his way to celebrate
He hasn’t been celebrating since coming back until Nurkic tried to get into his head by mocking Green. Nurkic is a bully on the court. You could see that by antagonizing Green throughout the game. Nurkic could use a few days off to learn not play bush league stuff.
I was talking about Curry – – he’s the one that said it. Agree on Nurkic
Nurkic is the one coming off as the fool in the game. He first tried to get Green into a confrontation. Then goes and mocks Green only to have Green come back and score over him. For Nurkic to bash Green after the game it showed Nurkic is the one with Green in his head.
Nurc showed his mental weakness. When it didn’t work this time,he got frustrated because let’s be honest the league has learned how to push Draymond and let his rep get the tech. He needed a suspension believe that but the league needs to be careful letting other teams poke him and not get Td up themselves. The game was a classic. I enjoyed every second right up until the foul on Wiggins. Thought that was normal contact and a good play
The T by the Refs was uncalled for because Green was fouled big time and how does the Ref miss a call like that when a guy lands on your back? Green was going back down court when the T was called. Nurkic did the same arguing with Refs later in the game and no T was called.
Steph celebrates like an 8 year old that just made a shot. Its genuine with him where he really is just a big kid that loves to hoop… That dude would play the same amount every day for free if no one would pay him to play ball.
“Forearm strike to the head” seems awfully misleading. Any angle of that footage at any speed makes it pretty clear it was Draymonds hand connecting with Nurks face. And Draymond gets the last laugh? Because Steph did Steph things?
This whole post seems like a giant suck job on Draymond kind of for no reason? Am I the only one getting that vibe?
Nurkic is the one that comes off petty out of all this. Seriously his comments after the game were very immature and uncalled for. Nurkic got out played by Green.
Why you got such hate for the warriors? You always in the comments bashing them. You just look like a hater in general. Bad energy bruh. And quit liking your own comments. It’s sad and pathetic much like your ridiculous user name
GP2 was amazing laat night. He’s just gotta stay healthy from here on out. Same as CP3. He proved he can still play and seems very comfortable and motivated with teammates on the bench. Klay is the liability right now, and Moody also needs to be on the court. Moody still has big upside potential and can contribute this season.
What worries me about CP3 is whose playing time will be cut when he comes back? Quinones offense is needed in the second unit. Cutting Klay to 20 minutes a game is the best answer. I noticed he does well when the game starts but fades in the second half.
Maybe Klay should not play at all and only play when Warriors need s a scoring spark off the bench. We need to trust CP3 and his experience down the stretch and hope he doesnt get hurt.
Payton will guard Booker at the fourth quarter in the playoffs
Klay is the liability right now. Correct.
Klay
24 minutes
5 points
2 of 10 shooting, 1 or 7 3pt
I am better than Klay now.
Klay often loses focus on defense.
Klay played defense last night
Saric was the one who played terrible defense. back to back plays he let a player fly by him for a easy lay up.
DirtyDra ……..
Nurkic should have leveled him. If I’m as big as he is. I would definitely let DirtyDra know my size and strength. On a play in the post.
Soft !!
KD was soft last night and he really has no business to be considered as one of the goats.
I can’t believe they let Steph get the ball. Then let him get off a shot.
If you watched the game Nurkic was the one trying to provoke Green. Green been on his best behavior since being back.
Most of the NBA is soft. That’s why they don’t line Green. And I think my 4”11 grandma can post up Nuric. He is way SOFT
Watch the offensive foul on Nurkic. After called for the foul he pretends to fall over and jumps on top of Green with all his weight. Just a dirt play by Nurkic.
Green belongs in the loony bin for the criminally insane. He’s the crazy gramps of an aging former championship team on the decline.
Nurick is right there with cotton balls and AD in terms of soft
Last 9 years he was the same dirty player… Hence the suspension… He had a history…
Kerr really putting his foot in his mouth there…