Draymond Green must be ‘careful’ after Game 2 tech, Steve Kerr says – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

It’s easy to lose composure during a fiery NBA playoff series – even for a leader.

After the Warriors’ 117-93 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night at Target Center in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals, coach Steve Kerr issued crucial advice to star forward Draymond Green, who picked up a dead-ball technical foul for hitting Naz Reid in the second quarter. 

“I could see he had gotten pretty upset, and I didn’t want him getting another technical, so I took him out at that point,” Kerr told reporters after the loss. “He’s going to have to be careful now. 

“He’s going to have to stay composed. Obviously, we need him, and I’m confident he will because he knows the circumstances.”

Green was visibly bothered by the official’s decision, prompting Curry to step in to simmer down his longtime teammate.

The 35-year-old now has five technical fouls during these playoffs, putting him two away from the seven-technical one-game suspension mark.

Although Green has demonstrated some composure throughout the postseason, Kerr is convinced the competitiveness that makes his forward a star is also what can also set him back at times.

“That’s part of Draymond,” Kerr added. “[The] same thing that makes him such a great competitor and a winner puts him over the top sometimes. 

“We know that, and it’s our job to help him stay poised [and] stay composed, but the competition is so meaningful to him that sometimes he goes over the line.”

Thursday night, as he’s done in the past, Green responded to Reid’s initial foul by flailing his arms wildly, which happened to hit the Minnesota big man in the face. 

To Kerr, it’s nothing more than one of Green’s on-court habits.

“It’s just a habit he has when somebody fouls him,” Kerr concluded. “He’s smart. I think it was Reid who reached, and on the reach, Draymond kind of swiped and drew the foul. 

“But he does have a habit of flailing his arm to try to make sure the ref sees it. He made contact and that’s what led to the [technical foul].” 

Warriors wing Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, doubts Green will reach a seventh technical foul. 

If anything, he agrees that the four-time NBA champion’s reputation for over-the-top fouls and aggravating trash talk is fueled Thursday night’s incident. 

“I’m in [agreement],” Butler said. “It ain’t like he’s doing it on purpose. He’s trying to sell a call or something like that.” 

Regardless of what anyone says, one thing is for certain: Green must move with extreme caution moving forward.

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