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Warriors' Draymond Green Ejected from Game 1 vs. Grizzlies After Flagrant-2 Foul
May 1, 2022
If the Golden State Warriors are going to win Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Sunday at FedExForum, they will have to do it without Draymond Green in the second half.
Green was ejected with 1:18 remaining in the second quarter after receiving a flagrant-2 foul for grabbing Brandon Clarke's jersey as the Memphis Grizzlies forward was in the air on a layup attempt.
The Grizzlies crowd was chanting "throw him out" as the referees were reviewing the footage to determine if they were going to assess a flagrant-2.
After the officials made their determination, Green egged the crowd on by skipping around the court and going to high-five some of his Warriors teammates before going to the locker room.
The Grizzlies were leading 54-53 when Green was ejected. Clarke made both of his free throws to extend the lead to three. He was fouled on the subsequent possession by Stephen Curry and made one of his two free-throw attempts for a 57-53 score.
Green was having an erratic game at the time of his ejection. The four-time All-Star had six points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals, but he also turned the ball over five times in just 17 minutes.
At his best, Green is a disruptive force on the defensive end and a facilitator on offense for Golden State's shooters. His absence will leave a huge hole to fill for the rest of the game, but the Warriors aren't incapable of playing at a high level without him.
Otto Porter Jr. took Green's spot on the floor to finish the first half.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr adjusted his starting lineup for the start of this series. He moved Jordan Poole to the bench and used Gary Payton II as the third guard, along with Curry and Klay Thompson.