For Christmas this year, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green gave ESPN NBA analyst Richard Jefferson the gift of laughter.
Early in the fourth quarter of the Christmas night game between the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, Green was whistled for a foul. The foul in question came with Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga shooting a free throw and Green battling for potential rebound position with Los Angeles teammates Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht — who were lined up to Green’s left and right, respectively. As Kuminga’s free throw went in, Green, Hachumura and Knecht all fell to the ground, with Green quickly being called for a foul. As Green is wont to do, he quickly and boisterously protested. So, did he have a point?
Not so much.
Jefferson began to explain what happened, as analysts do.
“OK, first of all, they’re not allowed to lock arms — and they didn’t lock arms,” Jefferson said of Hachimura and Knecht.
He then saw what happened. Green lifted both of his arms up, getting tied up with the two Lakers in the process. He then dragged both Los Angeles players, as well as himself, to the ground.
That made Jefferson laugh.
“And then Draymond pulls them both down,” Jefferson said, laughing. “Dray, that’s a foul.”
“They’re now allowed to lock arms — and they didn’t lock arms. And then (laughing) Draymond pulls them both down. Dray, that’s a foul.”
Draymond Green’s argument hit Richard Jefferson’s funny bone. pic.twitter.com/sTporsnDEj
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 26, 2024
After laughing for a few more seconds, Jefferson explained the rule further.
“The two offensive players aren’t allowed to lock arms…but you can’t grab both of their arms and go full suplex.”
“I don’t know,” play-by-play man Mike Breen responded. “That seemed to me to be as much on the Lakers as Draymond Green. I kinda side with him a little bit on that one. No?”
While Green’s arguing greatly entertained Jefferson, he was not willing to entertain Breen’s thought.
“No,” replied a seemingly laughed-out Jefferson.
“Disagree totally with you, Mike,” Doris Burke added.
[Photo Credit: ESPN]
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