Draymond Green Comments on Altercation with LeBron James in 2016 NBA Finals
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green felt disrespected by LeBron James when the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar stepped over him after they got tangled up during Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night.
Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated passed along comments from Green, who exchanged verbal jabs with James after the fourth-quarter incident. Green said he wasn't going to back down just because James is one of the league's top players.
"[James] stepped over me, and I felt like that was disrespectful," Green said. "I don't disrespect you on the court. Don't disrespect me. There's no love lost. It is what it is. It's a battle out there. I'm going to battle with whoever it is.
"We had our words. I said what I had to say, and he said what he had to say. Move on. I'm not going to sit there and argue with him. I know what position I'm in in terms of double techs and stuff. Just move on from it."
Here's a look at the play in question, via SportsCenter:
AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today noted James said the Warriors forward crossed the line:
"Draymond said something that I don't agree with. I'm all cool with the competition, I'm all fine with that, but some of the words that came out of his mouth were a little bit overboard. Being a guy with pride, a guy with three kids and a family, things of that nature, just some things go overboard, and that's where he took it.
"
Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reported Saturday that Green could be suspended because it appeared he made contact with James' groin when he swung his arm during the altercation. Green would miss Game 5 if the league assesses him a flagrant-1 foul and the next two games if a review determines he should receive a flagrant-2.
Losing the do-it-all Green would be a major setback for Golden State as it attempts to win its second straight championship. He's averaged 14.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in the series, which the defending champs lead 3-1.
Green told Spears, "It's a great feeling knowing that you are one game away."
But now he must wait to see if he'll be available when the Warriors try to clinch the series at home in Monday night's Game 5.
