Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) looks on during an NBA game.
The Golden State Warriors made easy work of the Orlando Magic during their Monday showdown, with Steph Curry leading the way in the 23-point blowout.
Curry dropped 26 points on 10-of-23 shooting and added three rebounds, six assists and two steals. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody combined for 41 points, as the Warriors never trailed again after overcoming a seven-point deficit early in the first quarter.
Despite the 120-97 win, however, the victory was overshadowed by Draymond Green’s situation. The Dubs’ defensive anchor played just 18 minutes and missed the final 20 minutes of the contest.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center.
Green left the game and headed to the locker room in the third quarter. It was after he was caught having an intense exchange with head coach Steve Kerr on the sidelines. While the Warriors vet eventually returned to the bench, he didn’t get to play again.
In his postgame presser, Kerr refused to go into detail on what transpired and what was said between him and Green, although he pointed out the obvious, saying that they “got into it.”
“I took the time out just because I thought we lost our focus there a little bit, so we had it out a little bit,” Kerr stated, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN. “He made his decision to go back to the locker room and cool off. That’s all I’m gonna say about it. Everything is private.”
Green, for his part, shared that “tempers spilled over” and he thought that leaving the bench area was the best solution to handle the situation.
Will the Warriors Suspend Draymond Green?
Both Green and Kerr appear ready to put the incident behind them. The Warriors coach did say after the game that they “need Draymond” and that he doesn’t think it will linger and bother them further.
However, it will be interesting to see if the Warriors will suspend Green or punish him in other ways for his actions. After all, not only did he argue with Kerr, but he also left the team in the middle of a game.
There’s a case to be made that Green’s conduct was detrimental to the team.
It’s not the first time that Green has argued with a member of the team in the middle of a game. To recall, back in 2018, he and then-Warriors teammate Kevin Durant had a fiery exchange while playing against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The two had to be calmed down, and it was definitely not a good look for the Warriors. Moreover, the team had to deal with increased scrutiny and questions about their chemistry and relationship as a result of the altercation.
Green was suspended for one game due to the aforementioned incident, and it’s not far-fetched that the Warriors could make the same decision following their latest game against the Magic.
The Warriors return to action on Christmas, though, so the wait for the Dubs’ decision shouldn’t be long.
View post: Steph Curry Makes 'Weird' Admission Following Draymond Green's Ejection in Warriors Game
Draymond Green was ejected early in the second quarter of the Warriors-Suns game on Saturday.
About the author
Angelo Guinhawa is a senior editor at Athlon Sports, overseeing all site content while contributing breaking and trending coverage of the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. With more than a decade in sports media, he leads Athlon’s editorial team and brings extensive experience in managing fast-moving sports coverage.