Draymond Green frustrated by Flagrant 1 foul call in 2OT
— -- OAKLAND -- Draymond Green was clearly frustrated about the controversial Flagrant 1 he received in the second overtime of the Golden State Warriors' 132-127 loss in double overtime to the Houston Rockets on Thursday.
With 2:10 left in the game, Green was fouled underneath the basket by Rockets guard James Harden while attempting a put-back layup. On his way down from elevating, Green's right foot flailed upwards and hit Harden in the face.
After reviewing the play, officials ruled it a Flagrant 1, rewarding Houston two free throws. It was a crucial juncture of the contest.
The Warriors were down three. Green split his free throws, and then Harden took his turn and knocked down both.
Like that, the Rockets were up four with possession of the ball. Eric Gordon scored to provide a six-point cushion that the Warriors could not overcome.
It appeared Green's kicking reputation got the best of him and it benefited the Rockets on this night.
"I never thought that they would call a flagrant foul," Green said. "That never even crossed my mind. It wasn't really much going through my head at all but I got to go try and make these two free throws. Other than that, I really don't worry too much about what they do."
When asked if he thought it was the right call to make, Green gave a passive-aggressive response.
"They're going to do what they want to do," he said. "That ain't got nothing to do with me. ... They're going to do what they want to do. I don't control what them people do. Whatever they decide is what they decide. It ain't much I can do about, it ain't much apparently anybody else can do about it. So, I really don't care what it is. They called it. Got to move on."
Green was irked that Rockets forward Montrezl Harrell wasn't hit with a flagrant instead of a personal foul for making contact with his head after he converted a layup. The referees reviewed the play, but the foul stood.
"I really don't care. They're going to do what they want to do regardless," Green said of the officiating. "It doesn't make me no difference one way or the other. I thought there was other calls that could have been called flagrants too.
"So, I'm under the impression if you're hit in the head, incidental contact, I think that's a flagrant foul if I'm not mistaken in the rule book. We'll see. Maybe I'll go read the rule book, maybe I'm wrong. But I'm not mistaken, I'm right. So, who knows."
Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob was livid immediately after the game as he walked alongside head coach Steve Kerr toward the locker room voicing his frustration with how the game was officiated.
He wasn't the only one. Green shared his annoyance.
"I really don't have a perspective on it," Green said of the flagrant. "That ain't my job. They got a whole replay center, they got like three officials out there, they got a league office that makes rules. That ain't really my job to assess it. I just play."
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