Draymond Green 'approves' Spencer's headbutt on Alperen Şengün, calls it 'Beautiful'

The Golden State Warriors' matchup against the Houston Rockets on April 30th at the Toyota Center in Houston featured a dramatic late-game incident that quickly became a major talking point, particularly due to the reaction from Warriors forward Draymond Green. The event centered around Warriors guard Pat Spencer and Rockets All-Star Alperen Şengün during the waning minutes of a game the Rockets would ultimately win 131-116.

As the game wound down, Şengün was involved in a play near the basket when he made contact with Pat Spencer. Şengün bumped into Spencer as the Warriors player was moving away from the area. Spencer's reaction was immediate and forceful. Without hesitation, he moved towards Şengün and delivered a headbutt, making contact with the Rockets star's face.

The situation threatened to escalate further when Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis intervened, shoving Şengün away from Spencer. Benches for both teams began to move towards the center of the court, prompting officials and other players to quickly step in and attempt to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.

Officials reviewed the sequence of events to determine the appropriate disciplinary actions. Following the review, offsetting technical fouls were assessed to Alperen Şengün and Trayce Jackson-Davis for their involvement in the scuffle. However, the most significant penalty was reserved for Spencer. He was assessed a flagrant technical foul and ejected from the game for what the referees deemed an "illegal headbutt" on Şengün. The ejection concluded Spencer's participation in the contest, where he had registered 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 13:36 minutes of play.

Despite the ejection and the potentially dangerous nature of a headbutt, Draymond Green's reaction on the bench and post-game provided a striking contrast. Green was observed watching a replay of the incident on the arena's Jumbotron. During this viewing, he was seen clapping in apparent approval of his teammates' actions during the confrontation and was heard seemingly saying, "My guys."

Green did not temper his sentiments when speaking to reporters after the game. He offered effusive praise for his teammates' conduct during the scuffle, describing the scene approvingly. "Beautiful, beautiful," Green stated when asked about the incident. He went on to explain his perspective, emphasizing the importance of standing firm in the face of confrontation. "You don’t back down from anybody and they didn’t. So, I like it," Green added, explicitly giving his "stamp of approval" to Spencer's aggression and his teammates' willingness to support him.

Green's public endorsement of a player being ejected for a headbutt is consistent with his reputation as a fiercely competitive player who prioritizes toughness and team unity, even if it means drawing the ire of opponents or officials. Green himself played 17:54 minutes in the game, contributing 7 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist.

The game itself saw the Rockets maintain control despite the late-game fireworks, securing the win and sending the series back to San Francisco for Game 6. Alperen Şengün finished the game with a strong performance, tallying 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists for the Rockets. Trayce Jackson-Davis recorded 4 points and 4 rebounds for the Warriors. The incident, coupled with Green's outspoken reaction, is likely to fuel the intensity and anticipation for Game 6, ensuring a potentially heated atmosphere as the teams continue their playoff battle.