Having a long career in the NBA is not so much about being a better or worse player, but rather about being in the right place at the right time. There are plenty of examples of these in the history of the league that boil down to having an opportunity and knowing how to take advantage of it. Usman Garuba bet on his future in the American competition by accepting a contract two-way con Golden State Warriors with the aim of earning a position in the franchise while competing in the G League.
The former Real Madrid player put aside the option of returning to Europe to pursue this goal and, for the moment, he has more than met expectations in Santa Cruz. To the point that, now with the most possible suspension a Draymond Green, The Warriors’ window could open for Garuba at a perfect time.
Tuesday, December 12 Draymond Green was ejected from the game against the Phoenix Suns after hitting Jusuf Nurkic unexpectedly. This is the second time this season that the veteran has been charged with a type 2 flagrant foul, which will have consequences for him and, as he is a repeat offender, it is likely that the NBA will want to set a precedent with Green and punish him severely.
More | Draymond Green, sent off again for attacking an opponent in a match
If this occurs, Garuba would be in an unbeatable position to fill a spot on the Golden State roster immediately and provide toughness, effort and defense to the Warriors in a true identity crisis.
In fact, the calendar plays in favor of this possibility. Golden State’s next game will be on December 14 in Los Angeles against the Clippers, and the next at home on the 16th against the Brooklyn Nets. On the other hand, the G League affiliate team where Garuba is playing is staying in Los Angeles, as this Thursday they will play against the South Bay Lakers before returning to Santa Cruz, where they will remain until the end of 2023.
During this season, Usman Garuba has been performing perfectly in the G League, fulfilling his role and even showing signs that he can contribute even in attack. With the hypothetical suspension of Draymond Green, the Azuqueca de Henares native could receive the long-awaited call from Steve Kerr and permanently join the Golden State Warriors squad.
Usman Garuba’s step forward in the G League
Since the G League Showcase started, Usman Garuba He has been one of the most outstanding players of the Santa Cruz Warriors. In 9 games played, the former Real Madrid player has been averaging 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1 steal and 1.8 blocks in just 19.4 minutes. Although it is true that the power forward has experienced some physical problems due to dislocating a finger on his right hand at the beginning of December, Garuba has managed to overcome it.
Proof of this is that since his return he has recorded his best games in the G League. First, against Ignite with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 80% shooting from the field in just 23 minutes. Then, against the SLC Stars, with 16 points, 11 rebounds and, again, 80% accuracy. And finally, on December 12, with his season-high in scoring against the South Bay Lakers: 18 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 56% shooting.
Great game by Usman Garuba against G League Ignite by Izan Almansa
17 points
8 rebounds
3 assists
3 robberies
80% TCKnocking on the Warriors’ doorpic.twitter.com/ftlEdr3xgi
— Sergio Rabinal (@S_Rabinal) December 9, 2023
If you’re only as good as your last game, Usman Garuba couldn’t have done better at the right time, leaving a remarkable double-double while Draymond Green made his final outing.
In general terms, the Spaniard is being a differential factor in defense for Santa Cruz. In the current campaign, Usman is one of the 9 players capable of averaging more than 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game in the G League. All of this being the one who has played the fewest minutes on average of the 9 with just 20.8.
The problem for Usman Garuba is the competition in the position. In it roster The Golden State Warriors have rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis ahead of them, with whom they share a position, or Brazilian Gui Santos. On the other hand, it is possible that Steve Kerr chooses to call a guard like Lester Quiñones, the affiliate’s top scorer in the G League with 22.9 points per night.
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The more than possible suspension of Draymond Green
On November 14, Draymond Green attacked Rudy Gobert in one of the most unsportsmanlike images of the season. Less than a month later, on December 12, the Warriors player was again in the spotlight for an unpretexted hit on Jusuf Nurkic. On both occasions he was sent off with a blatant type 2. For what he did against the French center he received a 5-match ban and the suspension is now expected to be even longer.
The NBA contemplates a point system for cases of flagrant fouls. If a player commits a type 1 offense, one point is added and if it is type 2, two points are added. An automatic suspension of a match occurs when someone accumulates three points, which are not eliminated once a sanction is served, but are cumulative. In this case, Draymond Green already has four flagrant foul pointsso that, As minimumhe would miss a duel with the Warriors.
However, the logical thing is that the league imposes a greater penalty, both due to the context in which it occurs, without mitigating circumstances as there is no fight involved to justify it, and due to the fact of being a repeat offender in such a period. short of time.
It is very likely that the NBA will decide to sideline Draymond Green for more than 5 games, with the range being between 7 and 10. If this occurs, this would leave the Warriors in need of a replacement between the end of December and the beginning of January 2024.
2023-12-13 09:26:12
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