The Golden State Warriors got back to .500 on Monday night with a commanding 120-97 win over the Orlando Magic at Chase Center, improving to 15-15 on the season. It was the kind of performance that reminded fans what this team is still capable of when the pieces click-especially in the second half, where Golden State pulled away with authority. But even in a blowout win, the spotlight didn’t stay solely on the scoreboard.
Midway through the third quarter, with the Warriors holding a narrow 71-66 lead and 8:31 left on the clock, head coach Steve Kerr called a timeout. What followed was a tense exchange between Kerr and Draymond Green on the bench-animated, heated, and unmistakably personal. Moments later, Green left the bench area and headed toward the locker room.
Now, if you've followed the Warriors during this dynastic run, none of this should come as a shock. Green has always played with an emotional edge-it's part of what makes him great and, at times, combustible.
He's the heartbeat of this team, for better or worse. And Kerr, who’s coached Green for the entirety of his NBA head coaching career, knows that better than anyone.
After the game, Kerr downplayed the incident, suggesting it was just another flare-up in a long, complex relationship built on mutual respect and a shared drive to win.
Interestingly, the shift that followed the timeout seemed to ignite the Warriors. Rookie guard Brandin Podziemski checked in for Green, and from that moment on, Golden State found another gear.
They outscored the Magic by 18 points the rest of the way, 49-31. Podziemski, who continues to earn trust with his energy and poise, finished the night with a game-high plus-36-a stat that doesn’t always tell the full story, but in this case, it speaks volumes.
The Warriors' second-half surge was a reminder of the depth and flexibility they’ve been trying to tap into all season. Podziemski's impact is just the latest example of how this team is evolving, even as its core remains intact. But Green’s outburst is also a reminder of the emotional volatility that can come with that core.
Draymond’s presence on the floor is irreplaceable when he’s locked in-his defensive instincts, his playmaking, his leadership. But when the emotions boil over, as they did Monday night, it can throw the whole dynamic off balance.
The Warriors have long accepted that this is part of the Draymond Green experience. It’s a package deal: the elite defensive anchor and the emotional firebrand.
As for what this means moving forward, particularly with a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Dallas Mavericks looming, that remains unclear. Whether Green will be available-or whether any internal discipline is coming-hasn’t been addressed publicly. But what is clear is that the Warriors, even in the midst of a turbulent stretch, are still capable of flipping the switch when it matters.
"We got into it, obviously... We had it out a little bit, and he made his decision to go back to the locker room and cool off. That's all I'm going to say about it. Everything is private."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 23, 2025
Steve Kerr on his intense exchange with Draymond Green 👀pic.twitter.com/slAQzWXVAm https://t.co/CkDByMwQGI
They’ve been searching for consistency all season. Monday night brought flashes of it, both in terms of performance and the passion that fuels this team. Now the question is whether they can channel that energy in the right direction as the season heats up.