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Draymond: 'Absolutely my fault' Warriors lost 2016 Finals

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Action Images

The Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 series lead in the 2016 NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a myriad of reasons, but Draymond Green believes he deserves much of the blame.

Green was suspended for Game 5 after he struck LeBron James between the legs during a heated confrontation in the final minutes of a Warriors win in Game 4. That suspension helped the Cavs stave off elimination and regain the momentum to make a comeback.

One year later, with the teams meeting in The Finals a third time, Green put the loss on his shoulders in an "E:60" interview that will air Sunday night.

"One of the most brutal things I've ever had to go through in my life," Green said. "If I played, we win of course. So I do feel it's my fault we lost. … Absolutely my fault."

Green lashed out after James intentionally stepped over him. That action alone didn't warrant a suspension, but Green was finally reprimanded after committing many infractions over the course of Golden State's run.

Though Green's monstrous performance in Game 7 nearly salvaged the season, his teammates couldn't deliver, and the Cavaliers completed the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history.

However, Green said he'd hit James again in the same situation.

"But I don't feel wrong for what I did at all. ... He stepped over me. And I had a natural reaction," Green said. "I mean, you don't step over a grown man. It's disrespectful. And if it happened again, I would do the same thing - get off me."

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