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Draymond Green was up for the challenge of guarding Victor Wembanyama down low, but failed.
Green, listed at 6-foot-6, guarded the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama in a contested matchup. Knowing he was at a distinct disadvantage, Green did his best to get as good a position as possible.
The normally physical Green set up Wembanyama, but when the whistle blew, the third-year star knew exactly what to do.
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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama dunks over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) in front of forward Jimmy Butler (10) and guard Will Richard (3) during the second half at Frost Bank Center. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)
Wembanyama spun and the inbound pass was a perfectly placed alley-oop for the jam. He slammed the dunk home over Green and made sure Green knew what was happening.
Almost everyone in San Antonio erupted, and Green and Wembanyama were separated before anything else could happen.
Officials waved off the basket because Green beat the Spurs’ center prior to the attempt. Green picked up his fifth foul seconds later on the next inbounds, storming off the court and screaming at the officials over the whistle.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama reacts after dunking over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green in the second half at Frost Bank Center. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)
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“It’s not trying to prove anything to anybody. It’s just at some point somebody talks to you a certain way, you have to react a certain way,” Wembanyama said after the game, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Green, however, sensed some hypocrisy.
“It’s good to see him show emotion. I like when guys show emotion,” Green said, via Yahoo Sports . “I just wish that if I can yell in someone’s face and then a teammate can come and grab me and nothing happens — because if I yell in someone’s face and grab someone, I’m suspended indefinitely.”
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama exchange words during the second half at Frost Bank Center. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)
Stephen Curry dropped a season-high 49 points on 9-for-17 from 3-point range to give the Warriors a 109-108 victory.
Wembanyama blocked Jimmy Butler’s layup attempt with 33 seconds left and the Spurs led 108-107. San Antonio failed to capitalize offensively as De’Aaron Fox missed a 17-footer with 12 seconds left.
Curry was fouled by Fox on the ensuing possession and calmly drained both free throws to put the Warriors up by one point. Fox missed an 18-foot jumper as time expired.
