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Draymond Green was up for the challenge of guarding Victor Wembanyama down low, but it didn’t work out.
Green, listed as 6-foot-6, guarded the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama in a contested game. Knowing he was at a clear disadvantage, Green did his best to get the best positioning possible.
The normally physical Green tackled Wembanyama, but when the whistle blew, the third-year star knew exactly what to do.
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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama dunks over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) in front of Jimmy Butler (10) and guard Will Richard (3) during the second half at Frost Bank Center. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)
Wembanyama turned around and the inbounds pass was a perfectly timed alley-oop for the jam. He slammed the dunk on Green and made sure Green knew what happened.
Almost everyone in San Antonio erupted and Green and Wembanyama were separated before anything else could happen.
The officials waved the field goal away because Green had fouled the Spurs’ center before the attempt. Green picked up his fifth foul a few seconds later on the next return, storming off the court and yelling at the officials when the whistle blew.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama reacts after tackling Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green during the second half at Frost Bank Center. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)
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“It’s not about proving anything to anyone. It’s just that at some point someone talks to you in a certain way, you have to react in a certain way,” Wembanyama said after the match, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Green, however, sensed a certain hypocrisy.
“It’s good to see him show emotion. I like when guys show emotion,” Green said via Yahoo Sports. “I just wish if I can scream in someone’s face and a teammate can come and grab me and nothing happens — because if I scream in someone’s face and I grab someone, I’m suspended indefinitely.”
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama exchange words during the second half at Frost Bank Center. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)
Stephen Curry dropped a season-high 49 points on 9-of-17 from 3-point range to give the Warriors a 109-108 victory.
Wembanyama blocked Jimmy Butler’s layup attempt with 33 seconds left and the Spurs led 108-107. San Antonio failed to capitalize offensively as De’Aaron Fox missed a 17-footer with 12 seconds remaining.
Curry was fouled by Fox on the ensuing possession and calmly drained both free throws to give the Warriors a one-point lead. Fox missed an 18-foot jumper as time expired.
