Before the Golden State Warriors added another tally to the loss column and before Draymond Green picked up his fifth technical of the postseason, a far more disturbing storyline had already begun to unfold inside Target Center.
In the second quarter of Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Green clashed with Naz Reid and responded in typical fashion. A technical foul followed, but when Green later walked into the postgame press room, his fury wasn’t aimed at officials or even the opposing team.
“I’m sick of the agenda to make me look like the angry Black man,” Green said. “I’m a very successful, educated Black man, with a great family. And I’m great at basketball. The agenda to try to keep making me look like an angry Black man is crazy. I’m sick of it. It’s ridiculous.”
Arena security escorted a fan out
At first glance, Green‘s frustration seemed like another installment in the ongoing saga of his postseason temperament.
His latest technical left him just two away from a one-game suspension, sparking familiar debates about whether his volatility hurts or helps the Warriors.
It wasn’t long before The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II added fuel to the story.
“Apparently an incident happened where a fan was ejected for hurling a racial slur at Draymond. Perhaps more context behind his postgame statement,” he revealed.
Indeed, arena security had escorted a fan out of Target Center during the game. The NBA has not yet released an official statement detailing the reason, but the reported timing and location align with the outburst Green made after being fouled. Footage appears to corroborate that something egregious was said.
What began as a flare-up on the court was now being reinterpreted. Green‘s visible agitation-his swing after Reid‘s foul, the scuffle, the yelling-was no longer just another example of Draymond “being Draymond.” It was a response to a line being crossed.
Teammates like Steph Curry attempted to intervene during the game. Head coach Steve Kerr pulled Green aside for a breather. But neither gesture could soften the emotional weight of what he had experienced.
According to Kerr, Green‘s reaction on the court may have been “habitual,” but the emotional aftermath was anything but routine.
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