The Golden State Warriors need every win they can get to close out the season as they compete for a postseason berth in the Western Conference. Entering Wednesday night, they led the Houston Rockets by one game for the No. 10 seed — the final spot to play. Every game will be hyped down the stretch, and what happened in the opening minutes of the matchup with the Orlando Magic couldn't be what the Warriors had in mind.
Less than four minutes into the first quarter of Wednesday's game, Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected after committing two technical fouls while arguing with referee Ray Acosta. Green got hot after a basket from Magic forward Paolo Banchero, as he approached Acosta and appeared to touch the referee's arm. Green received a technical foul, but continued to argue as he walked toward the bench, resulting in his second technical and automatic ejection.
After the game, crew chief Mitchell Irvin explained that Green received a second technical foul for directing “obscene, profane language toward a game official.”
And with the Warriors – who were without Jonathan Kuminga on Wednesday – needing to win as many games as possible, the frustration from Green's teammates, including Stephen Curry, was palpable.
Fortunately for the Warriors, they were able to hold on for a 101-93 win in Orlando, thanks to a 3-pointer from Curry and 23 points from Andrew Wiggins.
“Too bad. It was unfortunate. He deserved it,” Kerr said after Green's expulsion. “It will bounce back. I'm proud of the guys who stepped up.”
Green has now recorded 21 disposals in his career, which is second only to Rasheed Wallace's 29 disposals in NBA date. In December, Green was suspended for 12 games for a flagrant foul on Phoenix Suns player Jusuf Nurkic. The NBA cited Green's previous actions in its explanation of the original indefinite suspension.
The Warriors' win surge in January and February coincided with Green's return, as they became one of the best defensive teams in the league. Green tallied his most points (8.8) since the 2017-18 season, while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out six assists per game. He's also shooting 38.7% from 3-point range, his highest mark since 2015-16. The Warriors' defensive rating improves by nearly five points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor.
Golden State will face the Rockets for the last time this season next Thursday, a matchup that could prove that Pivotal to Play-In racing. With Green still a vital asset to the Warriors on both ends, they will hope he can stay on the court for the duration of this game.
Looking for more NBA coverage? Jon Gonzalez, Bill Reiter, Ashley Nicole Moss and special guests dive into the league's biggest stories every day on Beyond the Arc podcast.
“Coffee ninja. Web fan. Hipster-friendly beer enthusiast. Professional creator.”