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Shaq on the Draymond Green stomp: 'I would have done the same thing'

tyler greenawalt
Staff writer
·3 min read
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Draymond Green gained another supporter for his stomp and subsequent ejection from Game 2 of the Western Conference playoff series between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings.

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal defended Green during Monday's episode of "Inside the NBA" on TNT and said he "would have done the same thing" if someone grabbed his foot the way Kings forward Domantas Sabonis did before Green purposely stepped on him.

"I really would. Don't be grabbing me," O'Neal said. "What am I gonna do? Like, if I stay there and just try to run forward, I'll fall. You gotta get him up off you. And if you get him up off you and you in the way, you might get stomped on. Was it a dirty play? Of course it was a dirty play. ... If you don't grab me, this won't happen."

The play in question occurred halfway through the fourth quarter with the Kings clinging to a four-point lead. Sabonis hit the floor after going up for a rebound and became entangled in Green's legs. Green appeared to lift his foot up and stomp on Sabonis' chest. Green was called for a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game while trainers tended to Sabonis following the incident. Sabonis was called for a technical foul for grabbing Green's leg.

“I got hit earlier in the game in the jaw. So when I fell, I was protecting myself,” Sabonis said after the game. "Then obviously, the incident happened. There’s no room for that in our game today.”At that point, I get pushed. I’m falling on the floor. I’m just trying to protect myself.”

The Kings ended up winning the game, 114-106, to take a 2-0 series lead over the Warriors. It's the first time since 2007 the Warriors are facing a two-game deficit.

Green's other defenders

After the game, Green said he "can only step so far and pulling my leg away. So that's what It is." Green later posted on his Instagram story calling out Sabonis for grabbing his leg.

Others agreed that Green didn't do anything wrong.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard tweeted that he didn't think Green "tried to step down ... that's just how his balance ended up." Warriors guard Klay Thompson rhetorically asked “What are you gonna do when someone grabs your foot while you’re running full speed?” while Warriors guard Steph Curry noted, “I don’t know what you’re supposed to do in that situation.”