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Draymond Green is in midseason form.
The NBA season tipped off Tuesday night, and Green’s Golden State Warriors headed south to Los Angeles to face the Lakers.
Green got the start, but subbed to Al Horford with 5:40 left in the first quarter. While on the bench, the refs missed a basket interference violation on the Lakers, which Green was pretty colorful about.
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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. (William Liang/Imagn Images)
Well, Judge Ed Malloy wasn’t having it and gave Green T.
It was Green’s 132nd technical all-time, which is only 20th most in NBA history. Karl Malone is the all-time leader with 200 more technicals than Green.
Green had 18 technical fouls last season, the third most in the league behind Anthony Edwards and Dillon Brooks. Sixteen technical fouls result in an automatic one-game suspension. He led the league with 21 in 2022-23, was second with 18 the year before and fourth in 2020-21 with 15.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) battle for the ball in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. (William Liang/Imagn Images)
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Green has finished inside the top 10 in technical foul leaders in every season but one since the 2014-15 campaign, leading the league three times.
Despite the early struggles, Green did his vintage work, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out nine assists, going a plus-20 on the floor alongside Jimmy Butler.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts during the second quarter during Game Two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Photos)
Five of Green’s eight points came in the fourth quarter, while he also had two blocks and two assists in the final period of play. It was a 119-109 victory for the Warriors over an injury-plagued Lakers team that is currently without LeBron James, who is set to begin his record 23rd NBA season in the next few weeks.
