NEW ORLEANS — The Warriors will submit videotape to the NBA of what they say are “cheap shots” from New Orleans forward Dante Cunningham during their overtime win Sunday.
Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green were struck in their faces in separate second-quarter incidents.
Barnes after getting elbowed was left with a nasal fracture, chipped teeth and a mouth laceration that required stitches. He is questionable for Tuesday’s game at Memphis, as coach Steve Kerr said he would be surprised if Barnes didn’t play wearing a mask.
Green said his nose was still sore from getting bloodied shortly before halftime after taking an elbow or forearm from Cunningham. Both forwards returned to the game to help the Warriors win 128-122.
“I guess that was his strategy to try to win a game,” said Green, who was called for a technical foul after no personal foul was called on Cunningham on the play. “I don’t know, but nobody’s backing down from that if that’s what we were supposed to do.
“Some people would call it physical, but that’s not physical. That’s cheap…He didn’t put neither one of us out of the game, so you’ve got to come a little harder next time if you’re going to try to throw a cheap shot. If you’re going to do it, do it.”
Kerr said Cunningham made no attempt to get the ball in striking Green and also referred to Cunningham’s actions as “cheap shots.”
“I didn’t think either play was warranted, let’s put it that way,” Kerr said.
“There’s a difference between physical play and clubbing somebody across the face a couple of times.”
Green said he believes opposing teams will continue to try to be physical with the 21-2 Warriors, but that they were “still standing, still winning.”
“Teams are going to try that, and it may have used to work, but we don’t back to no challenge or no physicality,” Green said. “We’re here.”
