Conspiracy theorists will believe that the NBA suspended Draymond Green in a desperate attempt to give Cleveland a chance to win Game 5 and extend the Finals series, and, well, they might have a point.

But Green? He had four points — earned for flagrant fouls throughout the playoffs. While assigning a numerical value to misdeeds might be a little strange, the league is right on with its cumulative penalty system. Based on a body of work — and body parts targeted — in the postseason, Green earned the night off Monday.

NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Kiki Vandeweghe said in a statement: "While Draymond Green's actions in Game 4 do not merit a suspension as a stand-alone act, the number of flagrant points he has earned triggers a suspension for Game 5."

Maybe that's shifts the odds of extending the series. But it's also the right decision.

Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. mrand@startribune.com