LeBron James hit the floor hard after Draymond Green plowed into him during a fast break during the second quarter of the Warriors vs. Cavaliers matchup. The play was ruled as a flagrant-one foul, with James knocking down one of the ensuing two free throws.
Green mocked James for flopping moments later, as the referees conferred about the play. He even got a fan to join in!
Yeah, James exaggerated a bit, and he saw the collision coming. But the flagrant call was clearly warranted, too.
James and Green, of course, have history. Green’s swipe at James’ groin in Game 4 of last year’s NBA Finals led to Green being suspended for Game 5. The Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors. Since then, Golden State and Cleveland have enjoyed the best rivalry in sports.
This will help it.