Warriors Playoff Opponents Will Try to Bait Draymond and Durant Into Technical Suspensions

One of the major reasons that the Cavs were able to beat the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals is that LeBron James baited Draymond Green into a Game 5 suspension that shifted the tides of momentum in the series. That is a template that Golden State’s opponents would be negligent not to follow this postseason with both Draymond and Kevin Durant.

Kevin Durant was the latest NBA player to cite an officiating agenda, after picking up two technical fouls and getting ejected from Tuesday night’s game against the Knicks.

Durant now has 10 technical fouls on the season, and Draymond Green has 12. NBA rules stipulate that when you get your 16th technical you are suspended for a game (an accomplishment DeMarcus Cousins achieved before the All-Star break last season). Every two technicals after that yields an additional one-game suspension.

It is a virtual certainty that Draymond Green and Kevin Durant will be at least lurking around that territory come playoff time, and other than the possibility of injuries that might be the only cheat code opponents can use to have any shot at knocking off the juggernaut Warriors.