As many fans looked forward to the In-Season Tournament matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves, Draymond Green managed to make himself the center of attention after getting into an unexpected and bizarre altercation with Rudy Gobert.
To the fans who might be unaware of the events that occurred, Draymond decided to put Rudy Gobert in a chokehold in a seeming attempt to prevent a situation between Klay Thomspon and Jaden McDaniels from escalating.
However, Green ended up causing quite a scene himself and has now been suspended for the next 5 games. By doing so, the Warriors star also ends up joining quite an infamous list. With that being said, let us take a closer look at the situation and find out more.
Draymond Green ranks second for longest NBA suspensions regarding in-game incidents
While this might not be a good list to be a part of, we cannot ignore the fact that Draymond Green now holds the second-highest position for suspensions regarding in-game incidents. Although Green has been suspended for his actions on the court in the past, they have rarely exceeded a single game.
Longest NBA suspensions for in-game incidents since 2010-11 👀
2011-12:
Metta Sandiford-Artest — 7 games2023-24:
Draymond Green — 5 games2018-19:
Brandon Ingram — 4 games2010-11:
Andrew Bynum — 4 games2010-11:
Charlie Villanueva — 4 games(via @FirstTake, h/t @spotrac) pic.twitter.com/uUxR7ae00l
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 16, 2023
The only other player who has been suspended for a longer duration than Draymond is Ron Artest aka Metta Sandiford-Artest. Veteran NBA fans will remember that Artest was suspended for 7 games in 2011 after elbowing James Harden in the head during a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and OKC Thunder.
Despite Green’s recent actions against Rudy Gobert, it would appear as if Artest’s spot on this list still remains unchallenged.
How will the Warriors fare without Draymond?
Although Draymond Green might not give the Warriors a lot in terms of scoring, there is no denying that he is their defensive anchor and enforcer. Not having him on the court for the next 5 games will certainly hurt the Warriors in a competitive Western Conference. Especially since the team is already missing Stephen Curry due to a knee injury at the moment.
The Golden State will be facing the OKC Thunder twice, the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, and San Antonio Spurs for the next 5 games. These would have been quite difficult teams for them to beat even if they had Draymond and Steph on the court.
In the wake of Draymond’s suspension. the team would be lucky to get 2 wins over this 5 game span. If they manage to get 3 wins against these younger teams, Steph and Draymond will be able to return with less pressure on their shoulders to keep the Warriors afloat. We look forward to seeing how the upcoming weeks play out for the Golden State Warriors.