Just one day after dragging Australian NBA star Patty Mills to the ground by the neck, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green was involved in another violent incident.
Green was ejected for the 21st time in his career, the second most all-time, after blowing up at a referee only four minutes into the Warriors’ game against the Orlando Magic.
The polarizing forward attacked referee Ray Acosta after being punished for his first personal foul, before yelling at the official a few plays later after Stephen Curry was charged for a shooting foul.
When Green refused to back down, Acosta issued another technical foul and ejected him.
It is now the star’s fourth ejection of the season, setting a new career high and the most by a single player since Kevin Durant was ejected five times in 2017-18.
Coach Steve Kerr was upset with the referees, launching a verbal onslaught their way, while teammate Steph Curry appeared to be fighting back tears, shaking his head repeatedly at his teammate’s fourth dismissal.
After a three-pointer with about 30 seconds left sealed the 101-93 victory, Curry did his famous ‘night-night’ celebration before kicking over a chair courtside, clearly emotional.
It’s the latest in a long string of misdeeds by Green, who was a major physical enforcer in the Warriors’ four championships since 2015.
Green was ejected from the second game of last year’s playoffs against the Sacramento Kings after stomping on opponent Domantas Sabonis.
Green was suspended for five games earlier this season after putting Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves in a headlock. He was then banned “indefinitely” after being expelled for swinging his right arm and striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic’s head/neck.
Green was suspended for 16 games, with authorities hoping that was enough punishment to address his “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.”
However, it does not appear that Green received any of this.