The Thunder kicked the crap out of the Warriors last night. Draymond Green tried to level the score by kicking Steven Adams in the groin area.
Can we call this "Ballkickgate?"
Green was given a flagrant 1 foul on the play, but the plot is far from over. Green may have a suspension coming. The Thunder lead the Western Conference Finals 2-1 after winning Sunday night, 133-105.
The Warriors and Thunder had considerably different reactions to Ballkickgate.
Green acted as innocently as he could. He said he thought his flagrant would get rescinded. "I'm sure he wants to have kids one day," Green said. "I'm not trying to end that on the basketball court."
Adams appeared to play reverse psychology. He acknowledged Green has performed such an act before, but Adams also refused to take a stand on a suspension. He had a laugh over a reporter asking if the play "kick-started" the team.
Steven Adams on Draymond Green kick: "It happened before, mate. He's pretty accurate."
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 23, 2016
Steven Adams on if it was intentional or not: "I have no idea, mate. That's for other people to make the judgment."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) May 23, 2016
Russell Westbrook was clear in his opinion. "Honestly, I think it's intentional," Westbrook said. "That's two times in two games."
Russell Westbrook says he thinks Draymond Green's kick was intentional: "That's 2 times in last 2 games." pic.twitter.com/U0CEeS281a
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) May 23, 2016
Meanwhile, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he thought the kick was "inadvertent," and he was "shocked they even looked at it."
Steve Kerr thinks the Draymond kick was inadvertent.
via @clippittv pic.twitter.com/yREkqEEZcN— NBA On Def Pen (@NBAOnDefPen) May 23, 2016
Stephen Curry thought there was "no intent" on Green's end.
Stephen Curry says Draymond Green’s low blow kick to Adams was ‘a normal reaction’ to a foul.
(via @clippittv)pic.twitter.com/BYk3SPHQlu— NBA On Def Pen (@NBAOnDefPen) May 23, 2016
Thunder head coach Billy Donovan took the Steven Adams approach of not attacking Green, but he also noted that this is the second time such a play has happened. He leaves judgment in the league's hands.
Coach Donovan addresses the controversial kick by Green. https://t.co/m6f3nlunw0
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 23, 2016
When the dust cleared at Chesapeake Energy Arena, the NBA on TNT crew stuck around to get the final word in on the saga. The three seasoned, former players gave perhaps the most level-headed, experienced perspectives.
Charles Barkley agreed with Kerr on the presence of inadvertent contact. In Barkley's mind, this warrants a flagrant foul, but not a suspension. Kenny Smith says there is a different between "content and intent," meaning Green did commit an illegal act but not necessarily on purpose. Shaquille O'Neal took the most liberal approach, saying Green was "flailing," trying to sell a foul, and Shaq did not even think Green should have gotten a technical foul.
#InsidetheNBA crew discuss the controversial kick from Game 3. https://t.co/2j56nJETM3
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 23, 2016
This is what The Oklahoman looked like on Monday:
The Thunder won Game 3, then @TheOklahoman won the sports section cover game. Great stuff (again) from @rob_backus81 pic.twitter.com/sLRjvzBgil
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 23, 2016
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