SAN FRANCISCO — After converting a hook shot over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green in the third quarter Saturday night, Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic slapped the floor twice and taunted Green with a “too small” gesture.
Two minutes later, Green returned the favor.
With Nurkic between him and the hoop, Green quickly backed Nurkic down and scooped the ball over his head and into the basket. Immediately, Green smacked the court, just as Nurkic had.
“You can’t be a nothing defender if you’re going to do that,” Green said of Nurkic. “You probably outweigh me by 70 pounds and you get put in the rim? Got to be more careful.”
The Warriors’ 113-112 win was the first time Golden State and Phoenix had faced off since Dec. 12, when Green hit Nurkic in the head and earned an indefinite suspension that sidelined him for 12 games.
Part of the criteria for Green’s reinstatement was undergoing counseling and proving to his team and the league that he had learned to manage his behavior.