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The NBA is Wrong with the Draymond Green Suspension

It is nice that LeBron has the NBA boardroom helping out this finals

So, I saw "Popstar" yesterday, but my review will have to wait until tomorrow because of the idiotic suspension that was handed to Draymond Green for tonight's game 5.

Yes, I think Green has proven during these playoffs that he is a very dirty player who flails at every opportunity, but why suspend him now when they did not suspend him for multiple kicks to the crotch in the western conference finals? What he did against OKC was so much worse and heinous than what he did in game four the other night. He consistently flailed his legs and arms during the series with the Thunder because they were frustrating him with their length and their quickness. He didn't have an answer, so he did every dirty thing he could think of. He repeatedly kicked Steven Adams in the groin region throughout the series. He blatantly tripped Enes Kanter during game 6. He was consistently throwing elbows and low blows in the post to whatever big man he was guarding. But, the NBA didn't think that any of that was suspendable.

Yet, during game 4 of the finals, Green came and set a perfectly legal screen on LeBron James. James took offense to this and shoved him to the ground. I must add, the Cavs were beginning to blow game 4 at this point. After physically throwing Green to the ground, James decided it was okay to step over Green, rubbing his man region all in Green's face. They then proceeded to go after a rebound, and while Green, after they both trash talked each other for a second, looked like he was legitimately boxing LeBron out, LeBron decided it was time to throw Green to the ground again and yell at him. He then started to get in Green's face, and like all NBA fights involving superstars, LeBron stayed about 10 feet away and had his teammates "hold him back". First off, LeBron isn't going to fight anyone. He is too big a star, and the NBA and his fans would not react well to that. I ask, what was Draymond Green supposed to do? If anyone thinks that it was okay for LeBron James to do what he did, you are wrong. Draymond Green had every right to swing at James. That was a total punk move from someone that was being a sore loser.

For the NBA to take LeBron James' side, once again, I mean come on, that is downright shady. The NBA badly wants this series to last as long as possible. So what do they do? They suspend one of the most important players to the Warriors. Never mind the fact that the Cavs have been whining this whole series about the refs, they have been not getting called for fouls just as much, if not more than the Warriors. The Cavs are the quintessential prima donna team, led by the biggest prima donna of them all, LeBron James. He bitches and moans to the media that "it is rough, constantly getting fouled, with no call every time I drive to the basket". I say, grow up. You are the biggest and best player on the floor, and it is the finals, refs have always let the players play a lot rougher in the finals.

Just because your name is LeBron James doesn't mean you should get special treatment. Did Jordan get calls when the Pistons were shoving him left and right in the 80's and 90s? No. Did Jordan complain? Not that I know of. He would just go out the next game and put up 40 or 50 points and will his team to win. Did Shaq get any calls during his prime? Absolutely not. The officials said it was impossible to officiate Shaq because everything was a foul. Did Shaq complain? Nope. He would still score 30 or 40 points, go to the free throw line 20 times and the Lakers and Heat won titles with him.

So, I ask again, why did the NBA decide to give James this preferential treatment? They are making the Warriors play without their best, and most versatile defender in a possible close out game tonight. If the Cavs do not win this game and LeBron blames it on someone other than himself, I will lose whatever respect I have left for him. The NBA has handed him this game on a platter. I know it's in Oakland, and it is very tough for a visiting team to win there, but don't underestimate how much the Warriors will miss Draymond Green tonight. He is not only their key guy in defense, but he runs a ton of the offense. He may not score in bunches, but he is the conduit for a lot of the things they do on the offensive end. This is sickening that the NBA has done something like this in the finals. I want to watch the best players play the best players. I know that the Warriors have good to great guys off the bench, but I don't want to see Shaun Livingston, Festus Ezeli or Mo Speights playing big minutes in a possible close out game. I want to see Draymond Green. I don't know who said this, but I totally agree, that if the series were tied 2-2, there is no way Green gets suspended for tonight's game. But, since the Warriors are up 3-1, the NBA front office chose to suspend a crucial guy to try and push this finals as long as they can.

This is a joke and, as I said above, if the Cavs do not win tonight, I don't know what else the NBA can do to give LeBron another advantage. First off, he doesn't need an advantage, or at least he shouldn't, if he wants to be one of the greatest of all time. Secondly, it is a shame that David Silver and the NBA are so blatantly pulling for the Cavs and LeBron. This stinks and it just made game 5 a little less desirable to watch. And I'm a huge NBA fan.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He wants to see the best players, not the best whiners, dictate the NBA Finals. Ty is not a whiner, see for yourself by following him on twitter @tykulik.