Just a day after dragging Aussie NBA star Patty Mills to the ground by the neck, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green was involved in another ugly incident.
This time, Green was tossed for the 21st time in his career – the second-most all-time – for blowing up at a referee just four minutes into the Warriors’ clash with the Orlando Magic.
The polarising forward confronted referee Ray Acosta after being called for his first personal foul, before going and screaming into the face of the official a couple of plays later when Stephen Curry was given a shooting foul.
Acosta handed Green a technical foul, then doubled down with another tech and the ejection when the 34-year-old refused to back down.
MORE: NBA villain Draymond Green ‘declares war on Australia’ in ugly Patty Mills act
It is already the star’s fourth ejection of the season, a new career-high and the most from a single player since Kevin Durant was ejected five times in 2017-18.
Coach Steve Kerr was furious at the referees, sending a verbal barrage their way, while teammate Steph Curry looked to be fighting back tears, shaking his head repeatedly at his teammate’s latest ejection.
After a three-pointer with around 30 seconds remaining sealed the 101-93 win, Curry did his trademark ‘night-night’ celebration before kicking over a chair courtside, clearly emotional.
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It’s just the latest in a long line of indiscretions from Green, who was a key physical enforcer in the Warriors’ four titles since 2015.
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”.
But even that doesn’t seem to have got through to Green.