JJ Redick Claims Referees Favoring Sacramento In Kings-Warriors Series
The first-round playoff series between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors has been quite eventful. Heading into Game 3 on Thursday night with the Kings leading 2-0, the Warriors face a tough situation with trying to replace Draymond Green, who has been suspended one game.
After Kings center Domantas Sabonis wrapped his arms around Green's leg in Game 2, the Warriors forward stomped on Sabonis' chest, resulting in an ejection and further penalties being handed down by the league.
Whether or not Draymond deserved to be suspended has been a hot-topic of discussion over the last 24 hours in the NBA world and on Wednesday, JJ Redick talked about the officiating in this series while on ESPN's First Take.
"I have no problem with physical play in the playoffs, but if Steph Curry is not allowed to move off the ball, if you are preventing players from running down the court and you are allowing that to happen, there's a play late in Game 2 where Kevon Looney is right under the rim and ready for a rebound. Sabonis crashes in, pushes him in the back and they don't call the foul. That's a foul! The referees have dictated too much in the Kings' favor in this series, I really believe that. And I don't know if it's the home crowd or whatever, I rarely complain about the referees, in fact, I don't know if I have ever complained about the referees! I think they are great, but if they are going to come back in this series they've got to call the game the way the game is supposed to be called. I really believe that." - JJ Redick on ESPN's First Take
Besides Green getting suspended, Redick talked about other areas in which the officiating in this series has not been great, stating the fact that the Warriors' guards have not been allowed to move around like they usually do offensively and how Golden State is getting a much tighter whistle in the paint than the Kings.
The idea that the Kings are "baiting" the Warriors into certain fouls is not outlandish either, as this can clearly be seen multiple times with Draymond Green so far in this series.
In Game 1, there were multiple instances of Green and Sabonis getting tangled up with one another and they always seemed to be pushing one another when a rebound was up for grabs.
In Game 2, Green was always being targeted by Sacramento and even before the altercation where he stomped on Sabonis' chest, the Kings center blatantly ran into Draymond Green and fell to try and draw a foul.
Draymond Green, who may have known that Domantas Sabonis was getting up and running behind him, was backing up out of bounds on a play and called for a foul because he blindly ran into Sabonis.
This play was ultimately challenged by the Warriors and reversed, but this is an instance like Redick was discussing on First Take where it seems like the Warriors are always being picked on by the officials in this series.
With Draymond now suspended for Game 3 in San Francisco with the Warriors trailing the Kings 2-0 in this series, Golden State finds themselves with their backs up against the wall.
Thursday's game may just be the most important game this Warriors' dynasty has ever faced, but if they are given yet another short whistle and unable to play freely like Sacramento has been able to do, there is not much the defending champions will be able to do other than simply make more shots than the Kings.
Be sure to catch up on the newest episode of The Fast Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak's own Brett Siegel!
Streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, The Fast Break Podcast takes you inside the league with the latest news, intel, rumors and interviews from those close to the action for all 30 teams. Be on the lookout for a new episodes every Friday.
