Here's why Draymond Green wasn't ejected for his 'second' technical foul
Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals featured a whole lot of confusion — and an absolute mess — thanks to the officiating crew.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was called for a technical foul in the first quarter after committing a foul on Cleveland's Iman Shumpert. Then, just over halfway through the third quarter, Green was whistled for another technical after being called for a foul against the Cavaliers' Kevin Love.
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Yet Green lingered on the court as fans, the announcer crew and both teams tried to figure out what was going on. After several minutes, the broadcast announced that the first technical foul was in fact on Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who'd leaped off the bench in protest of the foul committed against Shumpert as well.
There's a problem, though. According to ABC sideline reporter Doris Burke, every member of the official scorer's table heard the referees call Green for the initial technical. According to Burke, that technical was assessed to Kerr only after Green picked up his second.
Now, maybe there was some miscommunication between the officials and the scorer's table, or maybe the referees reviewed the play and made a different determination but failed to relay that information to the scorers. The broadcast crew further clarified after a television timeout, via the official who made the call on Green, that the initial call was just a personal against the Warriors forward and a technical on Kerr.
Officials Mike Callahan and John Goble spoke to pool reporter Brian Mahoney after the game and attempted to explain what really happened:
Q: Can you explain what happened in the third quarter?
Callahan: "When the technical foul was called on Draymond Green, we reported it to the table. The table informed us that it was his second technical foul and ejected. We informed the table that it was not his second technical foul."
Q: When did you become aware that the one that you called on Kerr, which John that was on you, had been charged to Green?
Callahan: "We found out at the same time when we called the first technical foul (6:18, 3rd) on Draymond Green. That's when we were informed by the table."
Q: When you actually called the one on Kerr, how did you explain it to the table and everything?
Goble: "After calling the loose ball foul on Draymond Green, I noticed the reaction by Coach Kerr and then assessed the technical foul. In the moment, I thought I had verbalized to the table that the technical foul was on Coach Kerr. After looking at the video, I did not verbalize to the table and looking at the video I should have done a better job of making sure that the table knew the technical foul was on Coach Kerr."
Q: What is the usual procedure for making sure that it has been logged correctly by the scorer?
Callahan: "The procedure is to advise the table who the technical foul is on and with the player we give a number. With a coach or trainer, we just verbalize and at that time we should listen to the PA announcer to who it is on. At that time, we did not do a very good job of listening to the PA announcer and we did not hear him announce it. I take full responsibility for that."
