Draymond Green wanted nothing more than to be competing deep into the NBA playoffs, but he disclosed one upside about the Warriors’ second-round exit.
While joining “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Green was asked about his notorious technical foul history and shared his growth — or attempted growth — in that department.
“I actually try not to [get a technical] now, which I’m embarrassed to say,” Green told Kimmel. “I went into the playoffs like, ‘I’m not getting any techs. I’m locked in.’ I had five in three games. You only get seven for the playoffs. Thank God we lost.”
The Warriors’ hard-fought battle against the Houston Rockets in the opening round, followed by a Western Conference semifinals meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves, resulted in five technical fouls for Green.
Per NBA postseason rules, two more technicals would have resulted in an automatic one-game suspension.
And had the Warriors kept the series against Minnesota alive and advanced to a best-of-seven conference finals matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Green isn’t confident with his chances that he wouldn’t reach that one-game suspension.
That doesn’t even include a would-be best-of-seven NBA Finals appearance.
But, again, baby steps, right?
Before the start of the 2024-25 regular season, Green predicted he would get fewer than 10 techs. He didn’t quite meet that goal, but he has reason for optimism.
“I had 13,” he said. “That’s a lot less than 17. Going the right way.”
Green was assessed 17 technical fouls during the 2023-24 season.
Growth.
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