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Source: Ezra Shaw / Getty / Draymond Green
The Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors first-round playoff series is already becoming an instant classic.
Draymond Green, who is no stranger to drama in the playoffs due to his behavior, is once again the subject of social media chatter.
Green was tossed from the game after he stomped on Sacramento’s forward/center Domantas Sabonis in the Warriors’ Game 2 loss to the Kings on Monday night.
The incident went down in the fourth quarter of a highly contentious game that the Kings wound up winning 114-106 to take a commanding 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
So what exactly happened?
Keeping that chippy energy, Sabonis fell to the ground and wrapped his arms around Green’s leg. As his Warriors teammates ran up the court, Green appeared to stomp on Sabonis, leaving the Lithuanian hooper in pain.
After a lengthy review, the refs handed Sabonis a technical foul for grabbing Green’s leg, and the Warriors’ superstar was given a flagrant two-foul for pulling off the Stone Cold stomp in an NBA game.
The Golden 1 Center was already on one as they sensed the beam was about to get lit again. Green, who lives for these moments, embraced the boos he received from Kings fans as he took himself off the court and ran to the Warriors’ locker room.
Draymond Green Defends Himself
During his press conference, Green defended his on-court actions adding that Kings’ guard Malik Monk made a similar move to him on Saturday.
“My leg got grabbed. The second time in two nights with the referees just watching,” he told reporters during his post-game press conference.
“I got to land my foot somewhere, and I am not the most flexible person, so it’s not stretching that far. I can only step so far and pulling my leg away, so it is what it is,” he continued.
Reporters asked Green what the referees told him he did he said: “The explanation was I stomped too hard. It was Monk last game so either you’re going to stop it.”
“(Referee) John Goble was looking at Monk hold my leg the last game, and he just let it go, and Zach (Zarba) was clearly watching my leg get held this game and let it go, so I guess ankle grabbing is okay.”
Green even took things further in his Instagram Stories by sharing a photo of Sabonis grabbing his ankle with the caption, “Nothing wrong here. Solid basketball play!!”
Sabonis downplayed the incident during a post-game interview on TNT, saying, “We fell on each other. Stuff happens. It’s basketball. We’ve got to move on to the next play.”
Was Draymond Green Out of Line?
Immediately following the incident, the reactions came in, with many calling for Green, who has a history of these kinds of theatrics, to be suspended.
But some fellow NBA hoopers did come to his defense. Inside The NBA’s Shaquille O’Neal put on his cape for Green.
“I’m not gonna sit up here and be a hypocrite. I would have done the same thing,” O’Neal said.
“Don’t be grabbing me because what am I gonna do? If I stay there and just try to run forward, I’ll fall. You gotta get him up off you. And if you up off me and you in the way, you might get stomped on. Was it a dirty play? Of course, it was a dirty play. But, hey, don’t grab me, and this won’t happen.”
Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley disagreed with him.
Portland TrailBlazers all-star Damian Lillard had an interesting take calling it a “take foul on Sabonis” and saying, “Dray tried to step down.”
Okay.
Draymond Green was doing too damn much. Now his team might pay for his actions once again, as they did in the 2016 NBA Finals.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty
1. Seriously
2. According to the NBA rules
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Source: Loren Elliott / Getty
The Sacramento Kings have some explaining to do. Longtime Golden State Warriors fan, and Hip-Hop legend, E-40 was kicked out of his favorite team’s playoff game, and the rapper is saying racial bias is why he got booted.
There is footage of 40 Water, born Earl Stevens, talking to security before being escorted out of Saturday night’s (April 15) game.
Afterward, E-40 explained his side of story, and allegedly involved him addressing a heckler (a white woman), and potentially him being a Black man is what lead to him being asked to leave the venue, Golden 1 Center, in the 4th quarter of the game.
“On Saturday night, I was subjected to disrespectful heckling over the course of the Warriors-Kings game in Sacramento,” said E-40 in a statement. “During the fourth quarter, I finally turned around and addressed one heckler in an assertive but polite manner. Yet, shortly thereafter, Kings’ security approached me, assumed that I instigated the encounter and proceeded to kick me out of the arena.”
And from there, per 40, the Ops intervened. He added, “Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that—despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur — racial bias remains prevalent. Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault.
He continued, “I was absolutely humiliated by the Kings’ security team and I’m calling on the franchise to investigate the appalling conduct that transpired.”
Considering this is the first we have ever heard of E-40, a courtside staple at Golden State Warriors games, having a problem, you have to at least give him the benefit of a doubt. Balls in your court, Kings.
Social media observers are also calling out the jig, and you can see the reactions in the gallery, Twitter is standing with 40 Water. The Kings ended up winning Game 1 of the series.
After being kicked out of Game 1 of the Golden State Warriors versus Sacramento Kings first-round playoff game on Saturday night (April. 16), E-40 lambasted the Kings’ organization for “racial bias” when handling his confrontation with a female fan.
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40, known as a Golden State Warriors fan and frequent attendee, sent a statement to Billboard, recalling the incident involving him addressing the heckler in “an assertive but polite manner.”
“On Saturday night, I was subjected to disrespectful heckling over the course of the Warriors-Kings game in Sacramento. During the fourth quarter, I finally turned around and addressed one heckler in an assertive but polite manner. Yet, shortly thereafter, Kings’ security approached me, assumed that I instigated the encounter and proceeded to kick me out of the arena,” writes 40.
He also acknolwedges that despite his accomplishments as a musician and businessman, “racial bias” continued to be the norm and played an intergral role in his departure from the game.
“Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that — despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur — racial bias remains prevalent. Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault,” he says.
At the end of his statement, 40 said that he hopes the Kings organization will do a thorough investigation on the matter and that those “involved are held accountable for their behavior.”
“I’ve attended countless NBA games throughout my lifetime and have always prided myself in my professionalism, so this experience has been jarring. I was absolutely humiliated by the Kings’ security team and I’m calling on the franchise to investigate the appalling conduct that transpired.”
He adds, “I’m truly grateful for my fans and supporters who have reached out to express their concern and disappointment regarding these disheartening circumstances and I hope those involved are held accountable for their behavior.”
Watch the clip below.
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Source: Jim McIsaac / Getty / Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets fans don’t have to worry about Ben Simmons being a liability for the team when the playoffs begin.
ESPN reports the Brooklyn Nets are shutting down Ben Simmons for the remainder of the season; coach Jacque Vaughn told the press on Tuesday.
“Ben will not be joining us the rest of the year and through the playoffs,” Vaughn revealed after practice. “After consulting with our doctors, multiple specialists, he’s just going to begin a rehab program. Our doctors and the specialists feel and think that he’ll have a full recovery, so that starts now.”
The fragile hooper has not hit the court for the Nets since the team’s final game before the All-Star break because of a nerve issue in his back. Simmons has been beset with knee and back issues, but Vaughn says he does not expect the point guard to get surgery for this latest injury.
“That is not in sight,” Vaughn said. “That’s the recommendation right now.”
Before making his Nets debut following a trade that saw the Brooklyn franchise swap James Harden for him, Simmons underwent back surgery last summer.
When he did return, he was a mere shell of his former self, seeing a steep decline in his performance from his All-Star days with the Sixers.
During the small sample size with the Nets, Simmons posted career lows in minutes (26.3), points (6.9), rebounds (6.3), assists (6.1), and free throw percentage (43.9).
Jack Vaughn Still Believes In Ben Simmons
Still, his coach remains hopeful the 26-year-old professional hooper can return to his old form.
“That’s our goal,” Vaughn said. “And overall, you just think about, he’s 6-10, athletic, what he can do and bring to our team, how he can help our group on both ends of the floor. We want to be involved in that. We want to see that. I want to coach Ben, and I want to be able to push Ben to get back to all-defensive team and impact our team on both ends of the floor. So that’s definitely the goal going forward.”
The Nets Will Continue To Support Him & Remain Hopeful He Can Return Next Season
According to general manager Sean Marks, the Nets will also continue to support Simmons.
“Same thing we’ve done in the past is support him,” Marks told ESPN. “This is a young man that has been through a very traumatic and pretty arduous last couple years here. And this is not news that he wants to hear. He didn’t want specialists telling him, ‘Hey look, here’s the best thing for you.’ The good news, they were in unison in their plan for a full recovery. I worked hard with these doctors, all the different specialists as well as Bernie Lee, his new agent, to come up with a plan that’s hopefully going to get him back, and back to being the Ben we’ve all seen.”
Marks continues, “I do feel for him because I know he wants to be out here. I know he wants to be part of this team. Nobody likes being told, ‘You didn’t amount to what you should have, and it shouldn’t be this, you should have done this, and so forth’ I hope he uses all of this as whatever you want to call it, chalkboard fodder for motivation, and attack [his rehab]. But I think he would fit with these guys we’ve got, and he fits for multiple reasons. So we hope that he’s back — and that he’s healthy, ready to go.”
Twitter Believes It’s A Wrap For Ben Simmon’s Career
While Simmon’s current team still believes in him, NBA Twitter is saying it’s a wrap for N0.10, and he will probably end up playing professional basketball in China.
LOL.
Damn, you all are ruthless.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Jim McIsaac / Getty
2. Howling
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Bradley Beal, the star guard for the Washington Wizards, is at the center of a police investigation after a reported confrontation with a fan in Florida. According to reports, a fan yelled at Beal over losing money in a bet which prompted the St. Louis native to confront the man.
ESPN reports that Bradley Beal, 29, was with the Wizards on March 21 taking on the Orlando Magic in a losing contest. While walking off the court, the fan in question yelled at Beal, using an expletive in the process. Beal reportedly walked over and smacked the hand of the man’s friend, which reportedly knocked off the heckler’s hat.
Video of the footage that was obtained by local police was said to feature beal telling the man that he didn’t care about his lost bet, with some choice adult language dispersed throughout. If the investigation of the footage goes forward, Beal has the potential of seeing a simple battery charge come his way.
The NBA is aware of the incident and is looking into the matter. The Washington Wizards have yet to release any statements related to Bradley Beal.
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Photo: G Fiume / Getty
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Ja Morant gave his first interview after a video of him surfaced brandishing a gun inside a Colorado nightclub, which led to him being suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies. Sitting down with ESPN’s Jalen Rose, the basketball superstar expressed regret over his decisions and promises to deliver a better image going forward.
Ja Morant, 23, is one of the young faces of the league and clearly is a draw no matter what arena he’s playing in. His electrifying style of play and passion on the court became coupled with troubling allegations of violence and negative actions over the past year. Ahead of the interview, Rose, himself a product of humble beginnings during his rise in the NBA, issued a stern but brotherly warning to Morant.
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“Honestly, I feel like we put ourselves in that situation with our past mistakes, and now it’s only right that we focus in and lock in on being smarter and more responsible, holding each other accountable for everything,” Morant said Wednesday during an interview with ESPN’s Jalen Rose, referring to his inner circle. “I feel like in the past we didn’t know what was at stake. And now finally me having that time to realize everything, have that time alone, I realize that now.
“I realize what I have to lose, and for us as a group, what we have to lose. It’s pretty much just that being more responsible, more smarter and staying away from all the bad decisions.”
Good on Ja Morant for realizing his mistakes and being willing to grow from them.
Morant will return to the Grizzlies at the conclusion of his eight-game suspension handed down from the NBA.
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Photo: Justin Ford / Getty
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Source: Justin Ford / Getty
Police in Colorado have stated that Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will not face criminal charges over flashing a gun in a social media video last weekend.
On Wednesday afternoon (March 8), the Glendale, Colorado Police Department announced that after finishing their investigation into Ja Morant after being alerted to an Instagram Live video he streamed showing him flashing a firearm while in Shotgun Willie’s strip club, that they would not file charges.
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“GPD was not able to determine that probable cause existed for the filing of any charges,” the press release partially stated. “In this case, it should be noted that on the night in question, the GPD did not receive any calls for service at the nightclub regarding a weapon of any type. Subsequently, no disturbances were reported, and no citizens or patrons of the club came forward to make a complaint. The investigation also concluded that no one was threatened or menaced with the firearm and in fact, no firearm was ever located.”
Morant was spotted on his Instagram Live flashing the weapon while in the club early Saturday morning (March 5) hours after his Grizzlies team lost to the hometown Nuggets. The club is five miles from Denver’s home stadium Ball Arena. After the footage was released, the Grizzlies announced that the 23-year-old would not be available for the team’s next two games against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers. So far, the team has stated publicly that he is to miss the team’s next four games at least.
Morant deactivated his Twitter and Instagram accounts that Saturday as the news spread and issued a statement saying he was stepping away. ”I’m going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being,” he said.
The trouble may not be over for Ja Morant, as the NBA has been investigating the incident in addition to others he’s been involved in. In addition, while Nike issued a statement of support for the two-time All-Star, Powerade has taken steps to take down its ads featuring Morant on its website and social media according to reports.
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Photo: Justin Ford / Getty
Written By D.L. Chandler , Senior Editor Posted 50 mins ago @dlchandler123 D.L. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. Initially freelancing at iOne Digital in 2010, he officially joined the iOne team in 2017 where he currently works as a Senior Editor […]
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Ja Morant was thought to be returning to the Memphis Grizzlies after serving a widely reported two-game suspension after he was seen brandishing a gun on Instagram Live. Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said that a timetable for Morant’s return has yet to be established as the team continues to address the needs of its superstar player.
As reported by ESPN, Coach Jenkins spoke to the media before the Grizzlies took on the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday (March 6). In the pre-game press conference, Jenkins said that the team is focused on getting Morant the help he needs to address his off-court issues while also pledging to keep him accountable for his actions.
“There’s not a definitive timeline, we have said that it would be at least two games,” Jenkins said to one reporter. “We’re taking it one day at a time, this is a healing process.”
He added, “He’s [Morant] understands that he’s made some difficult decisions and poor choices in the past that he has to account for, that’s what you saw in the statement, it speaks for itself.”
Morant issued a public statement apologizing for his actions and adding that he’s seeking help with stress and other concerns.
“I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire organization for letting you down,” the statement said. “I’m going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”
Ja Morant remains the face of the Grizzles franchise and one of the NBA’s brightest young stars. At just 23 years of age, Jenkins and the Grizzlies’ front office appear committed to helping their player through his recent woes.
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Photo: Justin Ford / Getty
Written By D.L. Chandler , Senior Editor Posted 41 mins ago @dlchandler123 D.L. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. Initially freelancing at iOne Digital in 2010, he officially joined the iOne team in 2017 where he currently works as a Senior Editor […]