Report: Cavaliers wanted Draymond Green suspended two games

The Cavaliers reportedly pushed hard to get Draymond Green suspended for smacking at LeBron James’ groin.

Lo and behold, Green was suspended for Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

So, Cleveland go its way?

Zach Lowe of ESPN:

The Cavs wanted him suspended for two games. I can tell you that. They wanted it to be a flagrant 2 and to have him suspended for Game 5 and Game 6.

The league got it right. The retroactively assigned flagrant 1 triggered a one-game suspension due to Green’s prior playoff flagrants. A flagrant 2, which would’ve triggered a two-game suspension, would’ve been too harsh for Green’s retaliation.

I also suspect the Cavaliers probably knew that. But by pushing for a flagrant 2, they framed a flagrant 1 as a compromise outcome – much the same way Green and Steve Kerr said Green’s flagrant 1 for kicking Steven Adams’ groin should have been rescinded. The NBA upgraded it to a flagrant 2 – another compromise decision when a straight suspension appeared to be on the table.

Lobbying the NBA on these decisions has become part of a championship pursuit. The Cavs had the advantage of facts on their side, but by aiming high, they successfully framed the argument in their favor – and it paid off in Game 5.