I was surprised that NBA suspended Warriors forward Draymond Green for tonight's game. Likely it was either the cumulative effect of his unsportsmanlike behavior during the playoffs or a "make up" call for his knee to the groin against the OKC center in the prior series, an act for which he should have been suspended. There's also the possibility that conspiracy theorists will endorse: ABC wants the series to go 7 games.
Golden State will likely be a very diff team without Green & his unique skill set. His absence will significantly affect all phases of the Warriors game: their set offense, their transition offense, and perhaps most of all, their defense.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has not yet announced who will start for Green or how the team's rotations will be adjusted. One thing is for certain: Green's versatility means that Kerr cannot simply plug & play a substitute.
None of this guarantees the Cavs a victory tonight. Golden State typically plays with a fluidity that makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts. And they have some pretty spectacular parts.
