Just a few weeks ago, the Memphis Grizzlies looked like a lock for a top-six finish in the West. Then, boom—coaching shakeup. Firing Taylor Jenkins threw off their rhythm big time, and by the end of the regular season, they’d tumbled down to the 8th seed. That meant a Play-In clash with none other than the Golden State Warriors. Yeah, Steph Curry and Draymond Green under the bright lights—never a chill time.
Now, the Grizz have their stars—Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. do most of the heavy lifting—but this squad runs deeper. One name that’s gotten buzz lately? Rookie center Zach Edey. He didn’t have the hottest first half though. Charles Barkley wasn’t impressed, and you know Chuck never bites his tongue. “[Zach Edey’s] only got 5 points…If you’re gonna get abused on defense, you better make up for it on the offensive end,” he said during halftime on TNT. Oof.
But here’s where it got wild. Midway through the second half, Draymond Green picked up his fifth foul in a rebound tussle with Edey. The Warriors weren’t having it—they challenged the call, claiming Edey was leaning into him. Everyone held their breath.
The result? Challenge denied. Draymond kept the foul. Warriors bench looked stunned. Fans in the building and online? Losing it. Had the call flipped, Edey would’ve fouled out right there. The challenge ultimately didn’t go in the Warriors’ favor, and the original foul on Draymond stood, much to the disbelief of the Warriors players and fans. This left many fans upset, especially considering the potential consequences.
As one fan put it, “That is genuinely an atrocious call, a game-changing one as well.” The frustration was real—this call had the potential to flip the game on its head, and when it didn’t go their way, the tension only grew.
It’s moments like these that highlight just how impactful referee decisions can be in such a high-pressure environment. Fans couldn’t help but react with disbelief, knowing how much was at stake for both teams.
This is a developing story…
The post “Atrocious” Incident With NBA Refs at Warriors Play-In Frustrates Many as Draymond Green Enters Risky Zone appeared first on EssentiallySports.