Draymond Green’s suspension comes with a twist that makes it particularly brutal

David Zalubowski/AP

Draymond Green will be suspended for Game 5 of the NBA Finals for an altercation with LeBron James in Game 4.

James and Green got tangled up, and Green took a swipe up at James while on the ground, making contact near James’ groin.

The NBA reviewed the play and gave Green a Flagrant 1 foul, his fourth of the postseason, which triggers an automatic suspension.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, along with missing the game, Green is not allowed to be at the arena. The Warriors lead the Cavaliers 3-1 with a chance to win the championship on their home floor in Oakland, California, Monday night. That means, if the Warriors win, even without Green, he can’t be there for the championship celebration.

Now Green could attend the game anyway, but it comes with a harsh punishment, according to Windhorst: He’ll be docked a game check. For Green, that’s a $140,000 fine.

So Green now faces a difficult task: Does he show up to the arena anyway, accept the fine, and hope the Warriors wrap up the series so he can be there for the celebration? Or does he watch from home, knowing he may miss out on celebrating a season’s worth of work? If he decides to show up, he runs the risk of losing $140,000 and watching the Warriors lose the game anyway, sending the series back to Cleveland for Game 6.

Of course, there’s no reason for the Warriors to play around with the Cavs. While they’ve largely looked like the better team, the Warriors surely don’t want to go back to Cleveland for Game 6, facing a 3-2 series, knowing they were smacked down by 30 points in that very arena in Game 3. The Warriors surely know this, but winning without Green, a vital cog in their offense and defense, will be difficult.

For as brutal as the suspension is, this twist makes it particularly cruel for Green.