Game 2 of Warriors-Rockets was an odd one, as both teams saw star players get hurt early, but return to varying degrees of success.
Steph Curry dislocated the middle finger on his left hand in the opening minutes of the game, but returned after having it popped back in and taped up, although it clearly left him with some discomfort. James Harden got hit in the eye by Draymond Green and missed nearly a full quarter after bleeding from the eye, and while he returned, he was clearly in some discomfort and understandably so. The Warriors got the win, but both teams have some concerns moving forward with health.
The good news, moreso for the Warriors than the Rockets, is that the weak double technical assessed by Ed Malloy to Draymond Green and Nene will be rescinded by the league, lessening the stress heading to Houston for Golden State. Green was given his fourth technical of the postseason, meaning he was getting dangerously close to a suspension at technical number seven.
The NBA is rescinding the technical fouls given to Draymond Green and Nene last night. Green is back to 3 technicals for the playoffs.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) May 1, 2019
It’s the right call by the league to take those technicals away, as it seemed to be a major overreaction to a very brief incident between Green and Nene — although Ed Malloy’s technical form remains exquisite.
https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1123442763423522816
We’ll see if Green can avoid getting four more T’s this postseason, but for now he’s been granted a reprieve for one, which is a big deal given how his last playoff suspension affected the Warriors in 2016.
