OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Golden State star Draymond Green is taking issue with being fined $25,000 for a skirmish with Washington’s Bradley Beal, saying he was trying to protect himself from Beal and players from the Wizards’ bench.
On Sunday, the NBA fined Green and Beal for fighting during a game Friday night and also suspended Washington guard Carrick Felix and forward Markieff Morris one game apiece for leaving the bench area during the scuffle.
Beal, who was ejected for initiating the fight, was fined $50,000. Also, Wizards forward Kelly Oubre Jr. received a $15,000 fine for entering the altercation in the Warriors’ eventual 120-117 victory.
“I got hit and didn’t even hit back and got fined,” Green said Sunday after the defending champions’ 115-107 loss to Detroit. “Then for him to get fined only $50,000, I get fined $25,000. Oubre comes in throwing punches and he gets fined less than me. That just don’t add up to me.
“I know they ain’t the biggest fan of me. That’s fine, but don’t be so obvious that you’re not the biggest fan of me. That’s just too obvious. I think at the end of the day they’re going to make out who they want to make out to be the bad guy. That’s cool, but be fair across the board.”
With 19.5 seconds left in the second quarter, Beal held the front of Green’s jersey with his left hand and ripped it while grabbing Green around the jaw with his right. That enraged Green, and they became entangled with arms around each other. It was Green’s second technical of the game after he questioned an official on an offensive foul, though he thought the first might be rescinded because he said he inquired how he could back down because he hadn’t used his shoulder.
“Silly old me to think that one would be taken back from me,” said Green, who has studied replays of the fight. “I’m still watching that video over again trying to figure out what I did wrong. It’s interesting to watch.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Sunday the first technical seemed unwarranted and thought it should have been a delay of game call.
“A little confused. I don’t know how you get fined 25 grand for being attacked. It seemed like maybe there’s some prior reputation involved,” Kerr said. “There’s some curious stuff in there. It looked to me like Oubre came out there running into the crowd and caused a lot more. Draymond he was the one who was attacked in the first place. So it seems like maybe those fines could have been reversed.”
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