Anthony Slater on the moment that led to Draymond Green getting ejected
Nov 15, 2023, 4:19 PM | Updated: Nov 16, 2023, 1:51 pm
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 14: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves go for the jump ball at Chase Center on November 14, 2023 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Anthony Slater, who covers the Golden State Warriors for The Athletic, joined The Rise Guys Tuesday afternoon to discuss yesterday’s altercation against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a potential Draymond Green suspension, and more.
The trio began the discussion by getting Slater’s perspective on what led to the scuffle, beginning with Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels before Rudy Gobert and Draymond Green inserted themselves into the action.
“Once you grab Klay Thompson and your name is Rudy Gobert, you are in Draymond’s crosshairs,” Slater said.
Green’s hold on Gobert’s upper body and head has been the highlight of conversation since the occurrence. Most expect a suspension for Golden State’s forward, but the extent of that is still to be determined.
“I was guessing last night one to three (games),” Slater said. “But, I could see if the NBA really wants to put their thumb on the scale because it’s Draymond, I think five, tops.”
The Golden State Warriors have lost their last four showings, including the scuffle showdown. Their prior losses were to the hands of the defending champion Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers, along with twice against Minnesota.
In a Western Conference seeding race forecasted to be competitive all year, losing Draymond Green for an extended period could significantly damage the Warriors’ production and depth. Stephen Curry has recently been unavailable, while Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson are underperforming expectations.
Slater mentioned the recent production of younger talent on their roster: Brandon Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Other topics discussed include:
- The current on-court value and production of Draymond Green
- Golden State’s recent level of playing, having lost four straight
- The significance of the altercation occurring during an In-Season Tournament game
- Stephen Curry’s recent absence
- Did Thompson and McDaniels deserve to be ejected?
- Dario Saric is emerging as a trustworthy rotational option
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