GOLDEN State Warriors forward Draymond Green is suspended for Game 5 (Beijing Time this morning) of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers after he was assessed a flagrant foul 1 for his actions against LeBron James in Game 4.

    The penalty was announced Sunday by Kiki VanDeWeghe, the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations.

    “The cumulative points system is designed to deter flagrant fouls in our game” VanDeWeghe said in a statement. “While Draymond Green’s actions in Game 4 do not merit a suspension as a standalone act, the number of flagrant points he has earned triggers a suspension for Game 5.”

    Green will serve his suspension as the Warriors attempt to clinch their second straight NBA title at Oracle Arena in Oakland. He has averaged 14.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists in the series and was a candidate for NBA Finals MVP.

    Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Green was “disappointed” to learn of the suspension. But Kerr declined to respond when asked if he was disappointed that Green put himself in the situation.

    “That’s just something that stays within the team. It’s not anything I’m going to comment on,” Kerr told reporters at Sunday’s press conference. “I’m disappointed for him that he can’t play in a big game. But the ruling has been made, and we’ve got to move on.”

    Golden State guard Stephen Curry said he was surprised Green was disciplined for the incident.

    “It’s an unfortunate situation and him getting caught with LeBron on top of him,” Curry said.

    “It honestly doesn’t matter what we think about what he did or didn’t do. The situation is what it is, and we’ve got to win.”

    The incident occurred when Green made unnecessary contact with a retaliatory swipe of his hand to the groin of James with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 108-97 win in Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on Friday night.(SD-Agencies)