.jpg)
4 hours ago
1
Many things have changed since this iteration of the Warriors won their first title a decade ago, but Draymond Green is among the few lone constants.
Green has often toed the line of fiery and controversial, with some of his on-court antics and spats resulting in further punishment. Be that as it may, that fire is what makes Green who he is, and Green's presence is the engine that keeps the Warriors' machine humming.
The 2025 playoffs have been no exception, as Green's fire helped fuel Golden State's "surprise" upset of the No. 2-seed Rockets in the opening round. The fire also resulted in a few run-ins that have brought Green closer to a league-imposed automatic suspension due to technical and flagrant fouls.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Just how close is Green to an automatic ban? Here is an up-to-date look at what Green must avoid in order to stay on the court for his team.
Draymond Green technical and flagrant fouls
Green has been whistled for four technical fouls and two flagrant fouls through seven playoff games in 2025. Based on the NBA's rules, Green would be suspended if he picks up two more flagrant points or three more technical fouls.
With flagrant fouls, a point system is used to determine further punishment. A Flagrant 1 equals one flagrant point and a Flagrant 2 equals two flagrant points. Green has committed two Flagrant 1 fouls during the 2025 playoffs and is two points away from triggering an automatic suspension with four points.
Green would pick up two additional points with one Flagrant 2 or two Flagrant 1 fouls.
In the first round against Houston, Green picked up four technical fouls. Per NBA rules, a player is automatically suspended with seven technical fouls in the playoffs, meaning Green is three away from an automatic suspension.
NBA PLAYOFFS HQ: Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracket
NBA playoffs technical foul suspensions, explained
Much like in the regular season, the NBA assesses automatic suspensions for excessive technical fouls.
A player's technical count resets for the postseason, but they are suspended once they receive their seventh technical foul in the playoffs. The count carries over from round to round. Here is the escalating scale of punishment associated with playoff technicals.
- Technical fouls 1-2: $2,000 fine each
- Technical fouls 3-4: $3,000 fine each
- Technical fouls 5-6: $4,000 fine each
- Technical foul 7: $5,000 fine + one-game suspension
- Each additional technical foul: $5,000 fine
- Each two additional technical fouls (9,11, etc.): $5,000 fine + one-game suspension
NBA playoffs flagrant foul suspensions, explained
The NBA uses a point system to ensure players do not commit excessive flagrant fouls in the regular season and postseason. This establishes accountability during the game and allows points to follow players on a game-to-game and round-to-round basis.
Points do not reset each round, and accumulating four flagrant points triggers an automatic suspension. Here is how flagrant fouls are handled:
- Flagrant 1: One point
- Flagrant 2: Two points, automatic ejection, minimum $2,000 fine
Any combination of four flagrant penalty points
Draymond Green suspension history
Green has been suspended six times in his NBA career — four times in the regular season and twice in the postseason.
Here is a brief recap of each ban:
June 2016: Flagrant foul points
Green was suspended without pay for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals after accumulating his fourth flagrant foul point of the postseason. The incident occurred in Game 4 when Green was assessed a Flagrant 1 for swiping at the groin area of LeBron James.
Looks like Draymond swung for LeBron's groin, then his arm pic.twitter.com/n5tzbbX5Vh
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) June 11, 2016November 2018: Altercation with Kevin Durant
This was a suspension imposed by the Warriors rather than the NBA. The franchise took action after Green needed to be separated from then-teammate Kevin Durant during an on-court confrontation at the end of regulation in an overtime loss to the Clippers on the road.
Then-Warriors GM Bob Myers said, “We just felt like this rose to the level of acting the way that we did."
March 2023: NBA technical foul limit
Green picked up his 16th technical foul of the season on March 15, 2023, triggering an automatic suspension from the NBA. He served a one-game suspension on March 17 before returning to the lineup.
April 2023: Stepping on Domantas Sabonis' chest
Green was suspended without pay for Game 3 of Golden State's first-round series with Sacramento. In Game 2, Green became entangled with Kings center Domantas Sabonis, who then grabbed and held Green's right ankle after falling to the floor.
That feels like something Draymond Green will be ejected and possibly even suspended moving forward... pic.twitter.com/HaAzrHXhkT
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) April 18, 2023In response to Sabonis, Green stepped on Sabonis' chest, received a Flagrant 2 and a one-game ban.
November 2023: Putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock
Green was suspended five games without pay for his actions during a confrontation between the Warriors and Timberwolves. It began with Klay Thompson and Jalen McDaniels jostling with one another and Rudy Gobert holding Thompson in an attempt to subdue him.
Draymond Green had Rudy Gobert in a sleeper hold pic.twitter.com/yivvAds10c
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) November 15, 2023Green rushed to his teammate's aid, putting Gobert in a headlock, which forced Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns to pry him off.
December 2023: Hitting Jusuf Nurkic in the face
Green is suspended for the fourth time in the calendar year after striking Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. He apologized for his actions, which he called unintentional, but the league decided to suspend Green indefinitely, citing a “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts."
Draymond has been ejected after flagrant foul on Nurkić pic.twitter.com/RmrLU5tdw8
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2023He steps away from the team and ultimately misses 17 games before returning to the lineup over one month later.
English (US)