National Basketball Association

Draymond Green nearly connects with another flailing kick during Warriors game

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:53 p.m. ET

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Andrew Lynch

The 2016-17 NBA season is rife with compelling storylines. Can the Warriors and Kevin Durant win a title in their first season together? Will LeBron James somehow lift his Cavaliers to a repeat championship? Which of last year's impressive rookies will make a huge leap in their second season? And will Draymond Green keep flailing his legs when he crashes into a defender in the lane?

The answers to those questions: Probably; maybe; we'll see; and oh my, yes. The Golden State forward couldn't help himself in the Warriors' preseason win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night — and Portland's official Twitter account made sure the world knew:

Fortunately for Green (and for Portland's Allen Crabbe), he doesn't appear to make contact. We can't necessarily say the same for Zaza Pachulia:

Green's tendency to flail his legs upon contact drew greater scrutiny in last year's playoffs after he kicked Oklahoma City Thunder big man Steven Adams in the groin. Green was not suspended for that blow, but the resulting flagrant foul loomed large when he later got into an altercation with LeBron James in the NBA Finals.

As pointed out by CBS' Matt Moore, the NBA has made such unnatural movements a point of emphasis in officiating this season:

Joe Borgia, the NBA senior vice president of replay and referee operations, said players are no longer just swinging their arms in attempt to draw a foul when taking a shot.

"Now all of a sudden legs are coming out in different directions at weird times, they're coming higher," he said. "Well, for the protection of the players, we're going to stop it."

Time and time again, Green has been warned. Whether he heeds those warnings remains to be seen.

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