Draymond Green Smacks Jusuf Nurkic In Head, Gets Ejected Again
Draymond Green Smacks Jusuf Nurkic In Head ... Gets Ejected Again
NBA fans are calling for yet another suspension for Draymond Green ... this time after the Warriors superstar was ejected for whacking one of his opponents in the face with a hard right hand.
The incident happened in the third quarter of Golden State's game against the Suns in Phoenix on Tuesday ... when Green appeared to be trying to back down Jusuf Nurkic during an inbounds play.
As Green attempted to shimmy his way into the paint, Nurkic provided some resistance -- and in response, Draymond spun around, flailed his arms and made contact with the Suns center's head.
Draymond has been ejected after flagrant foul on Nurkić pic.twitter.com/RmrLU5tdw8
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2023 @BleacherReport
Nurkic immediately crumpled in pain -- and a short time later, Green was hit with a flagrant foul 2 and tossed from the action.
The ejection was the third for Green this season -- and the second one since he was given the boot for putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold during the Warriors' game against the Timberwolves last month.
Following Tuesday night's latest incident, Green told media members he didn't mean to hit Nurkic -- and apologized for his actions.
"As you know, I am not one to apologize for things I mean to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf because I didn't intend to hit him," Green said after the game. "I sell calls with my arms. I don't fall to sell a call. I'm not a flopper. So I was just selling the call 'cause he was grabbing me and pulling my hip back. So, I spun away and unfortunately I hit him."
Nurkic, meanwhile, wasn't pleased with the play -- though he was at least able to crack a bit of a smile about it all with media members following the game.
"Personally, I feel like that brother needs help."
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 13, 2023 @YahooSports
Jusuf Nurkic responded after taking a punch from Draymond Green.
(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/OEv8eqUpxo
"Personally, I feel like that brother needs help," Nurkic said. "I'm glad he didn't try to choke me."
As you know, Green has been suspended multiple times in his career for similar acts -- including a five-game ban in November for the way he put his hands on Gobert.
The Warriors and Timberwolves got chippy just two minutes into their in-season tournament game 😳
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 15, 2023 @SportsCenter
Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels were all ejected. pic.twitter.com/m7UvULewa2
Most expect a suspension to be handed down sooner than later for the Nurkic play too -- it just remains to be seen how many contests Green will be forced to sit out.
The Warriors, meanwhile, went on to lose to the Suns with Green in the locker room, falling 119-116.