It’s been a turbulent stretch for Draymond Green - even by his standards. Just days after being ejected in the Warriors’ tight 119-116 win over the Suns, Green found himself at the center of another emotional moment, this time in a heated exchange with head coach Steve Kerr during Golden State’s matchup with the Orlando Magic.
The confrontation unfolded early in the third quarter. Green, visibly frustrated, left the court and didn’t return to the game, logging just 3 minutes and 29 seconds in the second half. It wasn’t an injury or foul trouble that kept him out - it was a decision, one he says he made to deescalate a situation that was boiling over.
“Tempers spilled over and... I just thought it was best that I got out of there,” Green said postgame.
“I don't think there was a situation where it was going to get better. So it was just best to remove myself, you know.
That's it.”
That kind of self-awareness from Green - a player known as much for his fire as his defense - is noteworthy. He’s no stranger to emotional outbursts, but in this case, he chose to walk away rather than let things spiral. Whether that signals growth or simply a moment of clarity remains to be seen, but it was a decision that didn’t hurt the Warriors on the scoreboard.
In fact, Golden State thrived in his absence.
The Warriors outscored Orlando 62-40 in the second half, flipping the game on its head with a classic display of ball movement and timely shooting. Stephen Curry took over when it mattered most, dropping 18 points and dishing out 4 assists in the second half. It was another reminder that when Curry is locked in, few teams can keep pace.
But this wasn’t a solo act. Golden State’s young core stepped up in a big way.
Brandin Podziemski chipped in with 8 points, Moses Moody added 9, and Quinten Post - still carving out his role - contributed 8 of his own. These are the kind of performances that matter in December, when rotations are still fluid and every minute is a chance to earn trust.
The win marked the Warriors’ second straight and pulled them within a game of the Phoenix Suns, who currently occupy the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The bigger gap, though, is between Golden State and the sixth seed - the Houston Rockets - who sit four games ahead in the standings. That sixth spot is crucial, as it’s the final guaranteed playoff berth, avoiding the play-in tournament altogether.
The good news for Steve Kerr and company? There’s still a lot of basketball left - roughly three-quarters of the season, to be exact. That’s plenty of time to find rhythm, build chemistry, and figure out where Draymond Green fits into the equation moving forward.
Because while the Warriors can win without him on a given night, their ceiling - the one that involves a deep playoff run - still depends on Green being locked in, emotionally and physically.