Fans who attended Friday’s game between the Golden State Warriors and Detroit Pistons at the Chase Center received a Draymond Green bobblehead. Unfortunately, Green didn’t feel much like celebrating the honor after the game and after receiving his 10th technical foul of the season.
The Warriors forward received the call, the 209th technical of his NBA career, during the first half after arguing with veteran official J.T. Orr. During the discussion, Orr held his hand up in a gesture to presumably get Green to calm down, holding it at what appeared on television to be chest level.
After the game, Green told reporters that he didn’t appreciate the way that Orr used his hands in the interaction.
“I find it very ironic that I got a technical foul for telling a Caucasian referee not to put his hand in my face,” Green said. “As a Black man in America, don’t put your hand in my face. And I said, ‘Hey, don’t put your hand in my face.’ And I got a tech.
“So I thought that was the most interesting thing of the night. Next to my bobblehead.”
Green explained why he took issue with the way Orr was interacting with him.
“He said, ‘Draymond, this is your chance to stop talking to me!’ (I responded) ‘Bro, don’t put your hand in my face,'” Green said. “‘Oh, tech.’ Oh, so everybody want to talk about holding the line of respect. That line need to be held both ways. So if the line won’t be held both ways, then the line won’t be held from my way either, because we’re all men and we all can make decisions and choices. So let that be the last time that that happens.”
Green noted that he felt the Pistons were trying to slow the Warriors down by holding onto the ball following a made basket, which led to his frustration.
“(Orr) told me that Ausar Thompson can hold the ball and look to see who to give the ball to after a made basket,” Green said. “He said that’s not a delay of game. He said guys catch the ball out of the rim all the time. And they do not look to who to pass it to. If you don’t drop the ball, that rule was changed maybe six years ago. If you don’t drop the ball, you just stand there and hold the ball; that’s a delay of game.
“He said, ‘No, that’s not a delay of game.’ That’s the second time he’s done it. Slowing our break down, I can’t get the ball and take it out. That would be a delay of game. And then Steph proceeds to get a delay of game the next play. On a free throw.”
It’s frowned upon for NBA players to disparage referees publicly, but it’s really frowned upon to name-check them, which is something Green eventually did.
“So, same referee though, J.T. Orr. He’s like, ‘Oh, maybe you got a point,'” Green told reporters. “No sh*t. It’s a rule. You can’t change a rule in the middle of a game. So yeah, that’s what the conversation was about. Telling me that’s not a delay of game. A guy can catch it and look — it’s not their ball. That would be a delay of game. So it’s unfortunate the rules change from person to person.”
Green has been the subject of trade rumors as the Warriors head into the NBA Trade Deadline clinging to a playoff position. We’ll have to see what comes of that, not to mention what fines await him over these comments.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.