Draymond Green responds to Russell Westbrook's claim of "intentional" groin kick

OKLAHOMA CITY, May 23 (UPI) -- Losing Stephen Curry early in the NBA playoffs appeared to be a kick to the groin of the Golden State Warriors' championship aspirations.

Now an actual kick to the groin could put its season in jeopardy.

In Sunday's Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, Draymond Green drove through the paint on Oklahoma City's Steven Adams. As he released the ball, he flailed his body, looking to draw a foul, and proceeded to kick Adams between the legs. Green was given a flagrant-1 foul for the infraction. He could still face discipline from the NBA, including a possible suspension from a pivotal Game 4, while the Warriors trail the Thunder 2-1 in the series.

Sunday night, Thunder guard Russell Westbrook said he thought the kick was intentional.

"I haven't see (the replay), but honestly I think it was intentional," Westbrook said. "That's two times in the last two games. I don't think you can keep kicking somebody in their private areas. He would provably say he didn't do it on purpose, but I think, from the way I look at it, it looks intentional to me."

After the game, Green said he plans to apologize to Adams.

"I would tell [Adams], 'My bad. I didn't try to do something like that.' Honestly, I wanted to go up to him during the game and say that," Green said on The Undefeated in his playoff diary.

"But I know what type of competitor he is and I think I know how he would react. If he would have reacted the way I thought he would have reacted, I know what that would have done to me, as well. I just kind of erred on the side of not saying anything and was hopeful I may catch him after the game. I didn't intentionally kick him down there. Whether he believes me or not, which I don't think he will and wouldn't in the moment, which is why I didn't say anything. I would definitely apologize and I look forward to apologizing to him, if I see him."

"I'm kind of upset about this, 'Will he get suspended or will he not?' It's just frustrating. Obviously, I hit [Adams] there in Game 2. But can anyone possibly say that was intentional. People might look at that and say, 'He did it then -- he tried to do [it again].' Would I be that obvious, if I'm trying to do it?'"

On Monday, Green backhandedly blamed Westbrook for the referee's treatment.

"Russell said I did it on purpose but he's a part of the superstar group that started all this acting in the NBA," Green said.