NBA spares Draymond Green of Game 4 suspension

OKLAHOMA CITY — The NBA upgraded Draymond Green’s kick-in-the-groin of Steven Adams to a flagrant-2 foul Monday, but league officials decided not to suspend Green for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

Green is cleared to play Tuesday night, as the Warriors try to dig out of their two-games-to-one hole against Oklahoma City.

Monday’s decision means he has three flagrant-foul “points” in the playoffs; reaching four brings an automatic one-game suspension.

The kick happened inadvertently as Green tried to sell the foul (to hear the Warriors tell it) or intentionally and maliciously (to hear the Thunder tell it).

Not surprisingly, the play enraged the crowd at Chesapeake Energy Arena and sparked ear-splitting chants of “Kick him out!” That didn’t happen, but Green was assessed a flagrant-1 foul after referees reviewed the play.

Green’s four technical fouls in this postseason are the most in the league; his 13 in the regular season ranked third behind Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins (17) and Boston’s Isaiah Thomas (14).

Green returned to the arena for practice Monday morning, several hours before the NBA announced its decision.

Green insisted, as he did Sunday night, that the kick was unintentional and a byproduct of him trying to sell the foul to officials.

Replays of the incident show Green clearly and forcefully kicking Adams in the groin.

Adams, also speaking to reporters before the NBA’s announcement, said he’s considering wearing special protection below his belt, “due to the consistency of the hits.”

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, after Sunday night’s game, compared Green’s kick to Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook’s habit of flailing his arms and/or legs after an apparent foul.