WARRIORS BEAT Green, Beal fined following skirmish
Warriors forward Draymond Green was fined $25,000 for “failing to disengage” from Washington guard Bradley Beal during their on-court skirmish late in the first half of Golden State’s 120-117 win Friday, the NBA announced Sunday afternoon.
Beal was fined $50,000 for grabbing Green around the neck. Washington forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who was shown in replays putting his hands on Warriors guard Klay Thompson, was fined $15,000 for “aggressively entering the altercation.” Additionally, Washington guard Carrick Felix and forward Markieff Morris were suspended for one game without pay for leaving the bench during the incident.
“A little confused,” Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said when asked about Green’s fine. “I don’t know how you get fined $25 grand for being attacked. I don’t know. It seemed like maybe there’s some prior reputation involved, I don’t know.”
With less than a minute left in the second quarter Friday, and the Warriors trailing 64-50, Green swatted a Beal floater attempt. Moments later, after Oubre missed a three-point try, Beal grabbed Green around the neck as Green went to box him out. Green immediately turned around, held Beal’s back and the two grappled before falling on the baseline to the side of the basket.
Players from both teams joined the fray as referees tried to intervene. After the scrum finally ended, Green emerged with the right side of his white jersey torn. The Oracle Arena big screen showed Green, who received a technical earlier in the quarter for jawing with an official, tell Kerr, “He punched me.” After a lengthy review, Green and Beal were tossed.
“I got hit and didn’t even hit back and got fined,” Green said. “Then for (Beal) to get fined $50,000, and I get fined $25,000? Oubre comes in throwing punches, and he gets fined less than me? That just doesn’t add up to me. I know they aren’t the biggest fan of me, but don’t be so obvious you’re not the biggest fan of me. That’s just too obvious.”
Green’s fine came six days after Golden State guard Stephen Curry was fined $50,000 for throwing his mouthpiece in the direction of an official toward the end of an Oct. 21 loss to the Grizzlies. Bell inactive: Warriors rookie Jordan Bell received a curious reward for his strong start to the season: two games on the inactive list.
“I’m in a really tough spot,” Kerr said before Sunday’s loss to Detroit. “It’s a good spot, but it’s a tough spot. I don’t know who I should deactivate. Everyone deserves to be active.” Thompson’s pledge: Sunday marked the finale of Klay Thompson’s “Points With Purpose” campaign in which he donated $1,000 for every point he scored during the Warriors’ three-game homestand to firerelief efforts in Sonoma and Napa counties. With 29 points against the Pistons, Thompson is set to donate $69,000.
Thompson’s shoe sponsor, Anta, will match his donation. As of Sunday afternoon, Thompson also had received more than 1,100 pledges totaling more than $292,000 at pledgeit.org/klay that will go toward fire-relief efforts. Streak snapped: With a missed technical-foul shot late in the third quarter Sunday, Curry’s career-high-tying streak of made foul shots ended at 52. Curry came eight shy of tying Rick Barry for the franchise record.
“It felt really good,” Curry said of his missed free-throw try. “It was one of those in-andout situations. It was a good run.”