Just a few days ago, Draymond Green said he didn’t give a “damn about the Rockets” because what mattered in the chase for the final play-in spot was the Warriors getting their act together.
Getting ejected less than four minutes into a critical game is not getting their act together.
That’s just what Green did on Wednesday night. Orlando All-Star Paolo Banchero drew a foul on the Warriors Andrew Wiggins on a drive to the basket, Green barked at the referee about the call and drew a quick technical — then Green wouldn’t stop. He kept going at the referee, even as Stephen Curry and other Warriors tried to calm him down, but it didn’t help. Green drew a second technical and an ejection.
Draymond picked up two technicals and was ejected after having words with the ref pic.twitter.com/tn2muDIXGo
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 27, 2024
Stephen Curry’s reaction says it all.
Steph’s reaction to Draymond’s ejection pic.twitter.com/5TH5DYC9w1
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 27, 2024
Here are a few quick thoughts on Green’s latest ejection:
• This is not Green’s record, he was once ejected just 85 seconds into a game.
• The timing could not be worse — the Warriors are in legitimate danger of missing the play-in entirely. Houston is just one game back of Golden State for the No.10 seed in the West (although that is technically two games because the Warriors own the tiebreaker), and the Rockets are surging having won nine in a row. Every game matters for the Warriors and this was already going to be a tough one against an elite defense and quality all-around team in Orlando.
• The Warriors went on to win without Green 101-93, largely due to a strong defensive game against the offensively challenged Magic. Wiggins led the way for the Warriors with 23 points, Curry had 17 points on 6-of-18 shooting but with 10 assists.
• For all the times Curry has stuck his neck out to protect Green, this has to feel like a punch to the gut. What a let down.
• Green and his backers can argue that on the initial foul call, Banchero initiated the contact with Wiggins, which is the kind of thing that referees have either let go as a no-call or called on the offense for the past six weeks or so. He can argue that the second technical came as he was already walking away and done with the argument.
• None of Green’s arguments hold up — early in the first quarter of a crucial game he couldn’t let a call he didn’t like go and earned this ejection. The officials were patient, they let him talk for a long time, Green could have made his point and walked away to keep playing, but he couldn’t stop. He was walking away when he got that second tech because he knew what he said would get him thrown out.
• Expect Green to apologize for his actions. Again. How well that is received in the Warriors’ locker room remains to be seen.
