Steven Adams, Russell Westbrook, More Comment on Draymond Green's Flagrant Foul

In the aftermath of Draymond Green's kick to the groin of Steven Adams during the Oklahoma City Thunder's 133-105 Game 3 win over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night, players and coaches from both sides came forward and offered their takes on the controversial play.   

Green, who was assessed a flagrant-1 foul after officials reviewed the play, told reporters the kick was inadvertent and that there was no malicious intent fueling his action. 

"I don't know how anybody could say I did that on purpose regardless of how it looks," Golden State's combo forward said, according to the Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson. 

"I know I didn't do it on purpose," Green reiterated, per Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding. 

Although he didn't inject a strong take, Adams did note that Green has made contact with his groin on two occasions in the span of three games.

"It's happened before," he said, according to USA Today's Sam Amick. "Pretty accurate, that guy."

However, Adams stopped short of calling for Green to be suspended during a postgame session with reporters, as the Oklahoman's Erik Horne documented: 

Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook, who finished with 30 points and 12 assists in the win, took a more stern stance on behalf of his teammate.  

"Honestly I think it was intentional," he said, according to the Oklahoman's Anthony Slater. "That's two times in the last two games."

Naturally, Warriors point guard Stephen Curry provided a contrasting take after Westbrook backed his big man up. 

"There was no intent," the reigning MVP said, per Ding. "Watching the replay, I think that's clear."

According to Thompson, Curry and Green both confirmed postgame that referee Scott Foster "told them he didn't think it was intentional, but he had to give him a flagrant because of where it landed."

Stu Jackson, former NBA executive vice president of basketball operations, noted Green's kick may have been the first of its kind:  

Representatives from the Thunder and Warriors can lobby all they want, but it will be up to the NBA to decide whether Green should be suspended for his actions—which were ill-timed considering the league announced Sunday it suspended Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dahntay Jones one game for striking Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo in the groin Saturday evening. 

If Green is suspended, the Warriors will have a difficult time moving to 13-0 in games after losses this season.

The primary reason being: Golden State has been outscored by 1.2 points per 100 possessions with Green on the bench during the postseason. Conversely, the Warriors have outscored foes by 14.7 points per 100 possessions with Green on the floor. 

That's the sort of point differential that could come back to bite the Dubs if they're forced to trudge forward without their small-ball maestro in hostile territory. 

Stats courtesy of NBA.com.