Why Draymond jokingly is grateful for Warriors’ playoff exit originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green wanted nothing more than to be competing deep into the NBA playoffs, but he disclosed one upside about the Warriors’ second-round exit.
While joining “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Green was asked about his notorious technical foul history and shared his growth — or attempted growth — in that department.
“I actually try not to [get a technical] now, which I’m embarrassed to say,” Green told Kimmel. “I went into the playoffs like, ‘I’m not getting any techs. I’m locked in.’ I had five in three games. You only get seven for the playoffs. Thank God we lost.”
The Warriors’ hard-fought battle against the Houston Rockets in the opening round, followed by a Western Conference semifinals meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves, resulted in five technical fouls for Green.
Per NBA postseason rules, two more technicals would have resulted in an automatic one-game suspension.
And had the Warriors kept the series against Minnesota alive and advanced to a best-of-seven conference finals matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Green isn’t confident with his chances that he wouldn’t reach that one-game suspension.
That doesn’t even include a would-be best-of-seven NBA Finals appearance.
But, again, baby steps, right?
Before the start of the 2024-25 regular season, Green predicted he would get fewer than 10 techs. He didn’t quite meet that goal, but he has reason for optimism.
“I had 13,” he said. “That’s a lot less than 17. Going the right way.”
Green was assessed 17 technical fouls during the 2023-24 season.
Growth.
