Draymond Green asks Warriors teammate Klay Thompson for his take on ejections this season

Draymond Green received a heartfelt response from Golden State Warriors teammate Klay Thompson when he asked the guard for his “brutally honest” opinion on his frequent ejections this season, with the latter telling the former: “we just need you “.

Appearing on ‘The Draymond Green Show’ just a day after scoring 32 points in the Warriors’ home win against the Utah Jazz, Thompson reminded Green of his and the team’s success when he’s on the court and playing, compared with when he is expelled. and unhappy, which can infect his partner and alter the chemistry around him.

‘When you’re not out there, it’s like a part of us is gone. We will never be able to be ourselves and have the freedom we have on the court without you. I know the other team is very glad you’re not there. ‘You can…relax a little,’ Thompson said at first.

“They let their hair down because our muscles are gone, our enforcer, that guy… the heartbeat of our team is not out there. We’ve been through so many battles, we got to the top of the mountain, we came down from the mountain , we had to get back up, and now we have another real chance to do it. So at the end of the day, we only need you.

“And that disappointment and that feeling of shaking your head, it just comes from like, ‘damn, man, we can’t do this without you.'” And we’re not the Warriors without Money Green. That’s just a fact.’

Klay Thompson brutally told Draymond Green to stop kicking the playoffs before the playoffs.

Green has been ejected four times in total this season, with his latest ejection coming less than four minutes into the Warriors’ 101-93 win against the Orlando Magic last month (March 27).

It was the power forward’s first ejection since his 16-game suspension by the NBA for his history of misconduct and after he punched Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face during a Dec. 12 game.

Green, 33 and part of four Warriors championships, was ejected for the 18th time in his career (the most among active NBA players) at the time. He was also ejected for head-butting Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert in November before receiving a five-game suspension for his actions.

Last season during training camp, Green sat out the 2022 NBA Champions in what coach Steve Kerr called a “mutual decision” after the player violently punched his then-teammate in the face. Jordan Poole. None of the players were injured.

New Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said when he got the job after last season ended that he was committed to retaining Green, who soon after received a new four-year, $100 million contract in late June. . Kerr has always said he loves Green’s passionate, boundary-pushing style of play, but it will be interesting to see how both sides overcome the latter discipline.

Last spring, Green was suspended for a Game 3 playoff win against the Sacramento Kings after stepping on Domantas Sabonis’ chest during a Game 2 loss. The Warriors became the first defending champion to recover from a 0-2 deficit to win a playoff series.

Golden State suspended Green for one game in November 2018 for conduct detrimental to the team. In the final seconds of regulation during a 121-116 overtime loss on the road to the Clippers, Green secured a rebound and with Kevin Durant calling for the ball, dribbled the length of the court into traffic and lost control. when the Warriors failed to make it. a shot. Durant appeared on camera visibly upset and the two argued afterwards.

In 2016, Green was suspended for a crucial Game 5 loss to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals after racking up too many flagrant fouls in that season’s playoffs. The Warriors ended up losing in seven games. Then-general manager Bob Myers sat with Green next to Oracle Arena at the Oakland Coliseum for that game Green missed.

Green, a second-round draft pick in 2012 out of Michigan State, is averaging 9.7 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 15 games this season. He has recently repeatedly said that the chemistry has improved a lot this season. Poole was traded to Washington on draft day for Chris Paul.

Green said “it was hard coming to work” and “it wasn’t fun.”

“Last year we had a terrible team chemistry-wise — pathetic,” he said. ‘You look at last year and say, ‘Oh, man, this team hasn’t lost a Western Conference series under Steve Kerr.’ And then it happens. The big reason is that our chemistry is bad.