NBA player turned ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins is fed up with Draymond Green’s antics. On Thursday’s episode of the Pat McAfee Show, Perkins went on a tirade against the Golden State Warriors star after he was ejected less than four minutes into his team’s matchup with the Orlando Magic, which fortunately for Green ended in a Dubs victory.
Green got into a verbal dispute with referee Ray Acosta after a foul called on teammate Andrew Wiggins and received two technical fouls in quick succession, ending his night unceremoniously. Perkins criticized the veteran forward for not letting the small argument go despite Stephen Curry imploring him to.
The Warriors were already without Jonathan Kuminga and lost Green four minutes into the first quarter, leaving Curry distraught. The two-time MVP couldn’t contain his emotions and was left nearly teary-eyed and visibly exhausted after the veteran forward left.
Explaining Curry’s situation to viewers, Perkins said:
“Steph Curry is not 100% healthy. He’s putting it into play night after night. You can see it in his face. You can see his love for the game and how much he wants to win, and Draymond, go do dumb things like that.”
Curry has been dealing with an ankle injury and missed three straight games earlier this month. The veteran guard has not fully recovered from the injury, but he is playing to ensure the Warriors do not fall below 10th place and miss the play-in tournament.
While Curry risks his long-term health to help the team, Green’s inexcusable actions, especially with Kuminga out, are hurting the Warriors. The striker has already missed 21 games due to two separate suspensions, leaving the team reeling in tenth place in the standings.
Green’s refusal to learn from his mistakes has irritated both fans and analysts like Perkins and has certainly been frustrating for Curry and the Warriors.
The precarious battle for the Warriors’ starting spot against the Rockets
For the past two months, the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers have been trading ninth and 10th place in the Western Conference standings and were apparently destined to battle it out in the play-in tournament. However, the Lakers have reeled off five straight wins, while the Warriors have lost three of their last six, giving Los Angeles a 2.
5-game lead over Golden State in the standings.
With ninth place quickly out of reach, the Warriors now face the unfathomable prospect of losing 10th place in the standings to the Houston Rockets, who have won 12 of their last 13 games, including the last ten. The Warriors are just one game ahead of the Rockets in the standings and the two teams’ recent form suggests it is only a matter of time before they swap places.
The Warriors need a strong finish to their regular season campaign to avoid missing the play-in tournament. The two teams are scheduled to battle it out next week and the outcome of that contest could go a long way in determining which team gets the final play on the spot. The Warriors are under pressure and, under these circumstances, cannot afford to lose Draymond Green in a game due to his baffling antics.
