Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic reacts after wild smack to face from Draymond Green: ‘Feel like that brother needs help’
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green may be facing another suspension.
The four-time NBA champion was ejected Tuesday night after striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face while the two players battled for position in the third quarter.
Green was called for a flagrant foul 2 on the play, earning himself his third ejection of the 2023 NBA season.
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Green apologized to Nurkic while speaking with reporters after the game, saying he was trying to sell the call.
"He was pulling my hip and I was swinging away to sell the call," the Warriors star explained after the game. "I made contact with him. As you know, I'm not one to apologize for things I meant to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf, because I didn't intend to hit him."
Nurkic had a different take.
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"What’s going on him, I don’t know," Nurkic said. "Personally, I feel like that brother needs help. I’m glad he didn’t try to choke me... That had nothing to do with basketball. I’m just out there trying to play basketball."
Nurkic was seemingly referencing Green’s five-game suspension earlier this season after the four-time All-Star put Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert into a chokehold.
Tuesday was the 18th time that Green had been ejected in his 12-year NBA career.
"It just looked like a reckless, dangerous play," Suns coach Frank Vogel said. "I’m sensitive to our guys getting hit on plays like that. I didn’t like it. The refs did what they had to do. The league will do what they have to do."
Golden State lost to a Suns team missing Kevin Durant, dropping to 10-13 on the season.
The Warriors have now lost 11 of their last 15 games.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report