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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected from Sunday's 117-116 Game 1 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the first half for a flagrant-2 foul after pulling Brandon Clarke to the ground by his jersey. 

After the game, Clarke didn't appear too happy with the play, calling out Green and telling reporters that hard fouls from the veteran are par for the course.

"He's been known for flagrant fouls in his career," Clarke told reporters. "I've watched them on TV my whole life it feels like, so I wasn't really shocked."

Clarke's comments didn't go unnoticed by Green:

Here's a look at the play that resulted in Green's ejection:

After the game, referee Kane Fitzgerald explained that Green made "unnecessary and excessive" contact on Clarke, which warranted a flagrant-2 and an ejection. He added there was "significant contact" to Clarke's face and that the tug on the jersey that sent him to ground was "unnecessary and excessive" because Clarke was vulnerable in midair. 

Both Stephen Curry and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said after the game they believed Green didn't deserve to be ejected. Curry noted that his ejection is bad for basketball.

In Clarke's defense, Green does have somewhat of a reputation for flagrant fouls in the postseason. The most notable came during the 2016 NBA Finals, when he was suspended for Game 5 after a flagrant foul on LeBron James in Game 4.

The suspension was triggered after Green had a flagrant foul against the Houston Rockets' Michael Beasley in the first round and Oklahoma City Thunder's Steven Adams in the Western Conference Finals.

With Green unavailable, Golden State went on to blow a 3-1 series lead against James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Considering Green is one of the most effective players on the Golden State roster, especially on defense, he'll need to keep it clean for the rest of the second round if the Dubs have any hope of beating the Grizzlies and reaching the conference finals. 

The Warriors and Grizzlies will meet again in Game 2 on Tuesday at FedExForum. 

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic isn't expected to play in Game 1 of the NBA playoffs.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Doncic's calf strain will keep him out for Saturday's opener against the Utah Jazz, and "significant concern remains" about his availability for Game 2 on Monday. 

The Mavericks announced April 12 their best player had been diagnosed with a left calf strain ahead of the first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz. While the team said there was no timetable for when he would return, head coach Jason Kidd initially remained evasive when discussing his Game 1 status. 

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported two days later the three-time All-Star was expected to be out, which wasn't surprising news given the circumstances.

Doncic is coming off another monster regular season. He averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists and shot a career-high 35.3 percent from beyond the arc.

As the Mavs look to improve on their first-round exit in last year's postseason, nobody will be more important than the Slovenian. He led the NBA in usage rate (37.4 percent) for the second season running, per Basketball Reference.

The 23-year-old also thrives on the big stage. He averaged 33.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 9.5 assists through his first 13 playoff games.

With a healthy Doncic, Dallas is still a bit of an outsider for the title. If he's playing hurt or out altogether, the team is in serious trouble.

The Mavericks will host Utah in Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. 

If the New Orleans Pelicans defeat the Los Angeles Clippers in the final round of the NBA play-in tournament on Friday and advance to play the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs, don't expect one of their best players to return to the court.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Thursday on NBA Today that the Pelicans have no intention of playing Zion Williamson if they advance to face the Suns. New Orleans is more focused on getting him ready for the 2022-23 campaign, Windhorst added.

Windhorst's comments come after the Pelicans told ESPN's Cassidy Hubbarth (h/t Real GM) that there was "no chance" Williamson would play against the Pelicans or in a potential first-round series against the Suns. The team added that "a return to play is not imminent."

Williamson has not played since May of last season and underwent offseason foot surgery after suffering a broken foot over the summer. He was supposed to be ready for the start of the 2021-22 campaign, but wasn't cleared to participate in full basketball activities until November. 

While the 21-year-old was back on the court practicing, he began to experience soreness in his surgically repaired foot and was shut down before getting an injection in his foot in January. 

At that point, Williamson continued rehabbing his foot injury away from the Pelicans in Portland, Oregon, and Christian Clark of NOLA.com reported in February that Williamson could need a second surgery on his foot. 

It was revealed in March that Williamson did not need another surgery on his foot and was making progress in his rehab. Fans were hopeful of a possible return when Williamson posted a video of himself doing a between-the-legs dunk late last month, but Windhorst reported shortly after that the big man wasn't medically cleared "to do that kind of dunk" by the Pelicans. 

Williamson then performed a 360-dunk during warmups before the Pelicans' play-in game against the Spurs, but all signs have pointed to the 2019 first overall pick not suiting up this year. 

Williamson had an impressive sophomore season during the 2020-21 campaign, earning his first All-Star selection after averaging 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 61.1 percent from the floor in 61 games. 

If Williamson can return to form and avoid injury next season, the Pelicans could be a dangerous team in the Western Conference. 

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 of the Mavs' first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz on Saturday afternoon with a strained calf, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

The 23-year-old has been a leader for the Mavericks all season. He averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor and 35.3 percent from deep during the regular season. His performance earned him an All-Star selection for the third straight season.

The Mavericks' offense runs through Doncic, and the team invariably suffers when he is missing. Dallas went 8-9 in his absence during the regular season and had to rely on Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith. 

Brunson had a career year, but he's not nearly as productive as Doncic, averaging 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists during the regular season. 

In addition to Brunson and Finney-Smith, the Mavericks also turn to Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired from the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline.

If Dallas wants to make a deep postseason run in a difficult Western Conference that includes the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies, it will need Doncic to remain healthy moving forward. 

The calf injury to star Luka Doncic is creating "a lot of concern" about his availability within the Dallas Mavericks organization, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski reported the left calf strain is "a little bit more than a mild strain." Doncic is facing a race against the clock with the Mavs scheduled to open their first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz on Saturday 1 p.m. ET.

The Mavericks didn't put a timetable on Doncic's return when they announced the severity of the injury Tuesday, and head coach Jason Kidd didn't provide any clarity when addressing the situation with reporters.

Doncic's importance to Dallas goes without saying.

The 23-year-old led the team in the three major categories, averaging 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists. He also led the NBA in usage rate (37.4 percent) for the second season running, per Basketball Reference. That is the eighth-highest usage rate over a single season in NBA history.

Spencer Dinwiddie has far exceeded expectations since joining the Mavs in the Kristaps Porzingis trade. He averaged 15.8 points and shot 40.4 percent from beyond the arc in 23 regular-season games.

Looking ahead to the postseason, Dinwiddie can help ease the scoring and playmaking burden on Doncic.

Still, the Mavericks are likely to go as far as their best player can take them. The three-time All-Star has risen to the occasion in the playoffs, averaging 33.5 points, 8.8 boards and 9.5 assists through 13 career contests.

Dallas is bound to struggle in a big way if Doncic is less than 100 percent against Utah, and the team might be toast if his calf injury forces him to miss a single game.

In the view of one NBA scout, the Utah Jazz may not be mentally ready for the 2022 NBA playoffs ahead of their first-round matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.

"Utah's psyche is an issue," the anonymous scout told The Athletic's Josh Robbins. "They've lost a lot of leads in the fourth quarter recently. So the Jazz might be the better team, but I'm not sure they have the mindset at the current time. There seem to be some issues there."

The Jazz lost five games in a row in late March. The nadir of that span came when Utah was outscored 39-21 in the fourth quarter and lost 121-115 to the Los Angeles Clippers.

That collapse was part of a larger trend. Since the All-Star break, here's where the Jazz rank in net rating by quarter, per NBA.com:

• First Quarter: 8th (6.5) 
• Second Quarter: 3rd (10.7) 
• Third Quarter: 3rd (11.2) 
• Fourth Quarter: 29th (-11.9)

One of those figures is not like the others.

Across the entire season, Utah is ninth in net rating (2.7) in the fourth quarter, making the last few months even more inexplicable.

And the scout didn't even reference the questions that have emerged regarding the relationship between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.

Because he apparently hasn't heard of the Streisand Effect, head coach Quin Snyder saw fit to speak for nearly 20 minutes to play down any friction in the Mitchell-Gobert dynamic. That probably turned the situation into a bigger story.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst said in February on the Hoop Collective podcast (via RealGM) that things are "back to being passively aggressively awkward" and Mitchell and Gobert "are under each other's skin."

Gobert addressed the rumors last week on NBA Today, saying, "People are looking for anything they can find to just try to divide us."

Still, this is not exactly the kind of fire a team wants to be putting out on the eve of the postseason.

Going on a deep run in the playoffs would be the easiest way for the Jazz to silence all the skeptics. Should Utah fail to get past the conference semifinals for the sixth straight year, the drama might only be beginning in Salt Lake City.

Zion Williamson participated in a five-on-five scrimmage with the New Orleans Pelicans last week and reportedly "looked good," Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on The Pat McAfee Show:

Despite the success, the team will still remain cautious as he works his way back to full strength.

"After not playing all season, I don't expect Zion Williamson during this play-in or playoffs," Charania said.

Williamson missed the entire 2021-22 regular season while recovering from a foot injury he suffered in the offseason.

The 21-year-old was initially expected to return in time for the start of the season, but continued setbacks kept him off the court.

Charania noted he felt "soreness" the last time he participated in five-on-five scrimmages in December.

The Pelicans were able to earn a spot in the play-in tournament without him, finishing with the ninth-best record in the Western Conference. They must beat the San Antonio Spurs and then the loser of the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers in order to earn the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

The squad's chances of advancing would be greater with Williamson on the roster, but it doesn't appear likely he will return to the lineup until next year.

The forward remains a promising player, earning an All-Star selection in his lone full season in the NBA. He finished 2020-21 with averages of 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while hitting 61.1 percent of his attempts from the field.

If the 2019 No. 1 overall pick can return to full strength next season, the Pelicans can be a dangerous team in the Western Conference.

Williamson still must prove his durability after playing just 85 total games in three NBA seasons.       

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic had his 16th technical foul of the season rescinded by the NBA on Saturday, making him eligible to play in the team's regular-season finale against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. 

Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the year between the first and second quarters of Friday's 128-78 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The 23-year-old felt he was undercut on a buzzer-beating shot and got into it with the officials.

Doncic asked the officials: "How is that not a foul? How is that not a foul?" He then received the technical foul. 

According to Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News, the Mavericks appealed the technical foul and Doncic said after Friday's game that it should "100 percent" be rescinded. 

Last season, Doncic acknowledged that he complained to the officials too much and needed to "work on it and be way better than this," but it's become quite clear that he didn't do much to prevent himself from getting the calls this season.   

Losing Doncic for the regular-season finale would have been a tough for the Mavericks, who are hoping to move into third place in the Western Conference. The Golden State Warriors own a half game lead over Dallas for third place. 

Doncic has been Dallas' most important player since being drafted third overall in 2018. This season, he's averaging 28.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor and 35.3 percent from deep.

Entering the postseason, Doncic will need to control himself and avoid getting into arguments with the officials. Luckily for him, technical fouls reset in the postseason and he'll need to rack up seven techs to receive a one-game suspension in the playoffs. 

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is in line for a suspension for the team's regular-season finale against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday after picking up his 16th technical foul of the season in Saturday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Doncic received the technical between the first and second quarters. According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, he was upset that he was undercut on a buzzer-beating shot. 

"I asked him, ‘How is that not a foul? How is that not a foul?’ He T’d me up," Doncic told Mavericks public relations employee Scooter Tomlin, according to MacMahon. "That’s unfair. That’s unfair."

Doncic has been known to frequently argue with referees during games. He even acknowledged last season that he complains to the officials too much. 

"I realize it," Doncic said, according to MacMahon. "It's something that I'm not supposed to do. [It's difficult] with all the emotions in games, but obviously I've got to stop. It's just hard for me on the court with all the emotions, but I realize it and I've got to work on this. It's tough to do it, but I've got to work on it and be way better than this."

And after the NBA rescinded his 13th technical foul of the season in early March, Doncic said it wouldn't come to a point where he would get suspended, adding, "That's unacceptable, I can't do that."

Luckily for the Mavericks, they have already locked up a spot in the 2022 NBA playoffs, entering Friday's game with a 50-30 record. However, Dallas will be hoping to win its final game of the season in hopes of securing home-court advantage for the first round. 

Doncic has been a staple in Dallas' lineup since being drafted third overall in 2018. He entered Friday's game averaging 28.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.8 assists while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 34.9 percent from deep.

The NBA could still rescind Doncic's 16th technical foul, which would allow him to play in the regular-season finale. However, if he's unable to suit up, Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie figure to see more playing time. 

Brunson has had an impressive season, averaging 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists entering Friday's game. Dinwiddie, meanwhile, entered averaging 16.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 21 games with the Mavericks since coming over in a trade from the Washington Wizards.