Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has once again come under fire after dragging Aussie star Patty Mills to the ground by the neck in his latest ugly NBA act.
Green has a charge list a mile long in his 12-year NBA career, having been the muscle as part of the Warriors’ four championship winning seasons since 2015.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
But in recent months, it’s started to get out of hand for fans.
In last years’ playoffs, Green was ejected from the second match of the series against the Sacramento Kings for stomping on rival Domantas Sabonis.
Earlier this season, Green was banned for five matches after a headlock on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert. He was then banned “indefinitely” after he was ejected over a swinging right arm that struck the head/neck area of Phoenix Suns centre Jusuf Nurkic.
Green missed 16 games as officials hoped it was a sufficient punishment to take care of “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts”.
Green is second on the all-time list of ejections with 20, behind only Rasheed Wallace on 29.
And he toed the line again in the Warriors’ 113-92 win over the Miami Heat when he tangled with Aussie champion Mills.
It was during the first quarter that they got tangled when Green tried to go around a Mills screen and instead coathangered the Aussie star.
The commentators called the action “dangerous”, adding “yikes”.
Incredibly, while the commentators questioned whether it should be a flagrant foul, it was a common foul, which left fans stunned.
The Pick and Roll AU tweeted: “Draymond Green declared war on Australia.”
San Antonio Spurs fan page Spurs Central wrote: “Draymond Green is indefensible at this point. Patty Mills is one of the nicest dudes in the league like wtf is wrong with this mf.”
Another fan posted: “And they didn’t call a flagrant. Madness.”
Another fan wrote: “Top 1 unlikeable clown in this league.”
Another added: “The fact that this wasn’t called a flagrant makes we wonder what he has on the refs.”
Another commented: “Brudda is trying to do the Randy orton backbreaker.”
Barstool Sports appeared to allege a conspiracy, arguing: “The fact that this was ruled a common foul also tells us that Adam Silver has made it known to his crew that the Warriors are on life support and the NBA wants Steph Curry in the Play In.
“That’s never called a common foul for any other player, even on accidents. That’s borderline assault brother!”
To be fair, there were plenty more that claimed it looked worse in slow motion or that Mills was flopping, even though Green clearly pulls Mills right back.
The result sees the Warriors stay in 10th in the West, sitting a game ahead of the Rockets in the final play-in position, while the Heat are seventh in the East.
Klay Thompson produced 28 points off the bench, including six three-pointers, while Jonathan Kuminga added 18.
Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins added 17 apiece as the Warriors improved to 37-34 to remain 10th in the West.
Bam Adebayo had 24 for the Heat in a lone hand for Miami.
Mills added just two points in 18 minutes.
Mills, who joined the Heat from Atlanta earlier this month has been getting regular minutes for Miami, which will be important as the 35-year-old is expected to once again be a key member of the Boomers campaign at the Olympics.