Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected from the team’s contest against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, less than four minutes into the first quarter.
After teammate Andrew Wiggins was called for a foul at the 8:24 mark of the opening frame, Green was quick to speak up to the officials about his thoughts on the whistle. That was when he received his first technical foul.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr tried diffusing the situation by calling a timeout, though Green continued and the officials heard enough to warrant handing him a second technical – ending his night.
This marks the fourth time Green has been ejected this season and the 9th and 10th technical fouls he’s received.
Earlier this season the 34-year-old was suspended for five games due to his involvement in an altercation with Rudy Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
About a month later, in December, Green was ejected and subsequently suspended, this time for striking Jusuf Nurkic in the face. The league decided that this time he would be suspended indefinitely, referencing Green’s “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.” The ejection for hitting Nurkic in the face was the 18th of his career, the most among active NBA players.
Green did issue a public apology, citing that he had enlisted himself into counselling services during his suspension. He was reinstated on Jan. 3, making his return to the court after a 16-game absence.
The forward has walked a relatively straight and narrow path since the incident involving Nurkic but last week marked the return of some antics.
On Mar. 20 Green received a technical for an on-court scuffle with Desmond Bane of the Memphis Grizzlies, and less than 24 hours before his ejection against the Magic, he was not penalized after clotheslining Miami Heat guard Patty Mills.
The Warriors were already without Jonathan Kuminga, who missed this game due to knee tendinitis, and were then without both starting forwards for a majority of the night. Green has played in 46 games for Golden State this season, averaging 8.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and six assists.
“After a prolonged diatribe, Green directed egregious profane language towards a game official,” crew chief Mitchell Irvin said post-game. “Green’s history did not affect the decision to eject the player.”
The Warriors went on to their second-best defensive quarter of the season, holding the Magic to 11 points on 3 for 22 shooting.
Stephen Curry was visibly upset when Green was ejected.
“But it was a beautiful team effort to respond the way we did,” Curry said. “We went and took it, and that’s a good sign for us.”
Trying to hold on to a play-in spot with 10 regular-season games remaining, the Warriors “don’t want to have self-inflicted wounds,” Curry said.
“We need him. He knows that. We all know that, so whatever it takes to keep him on the floor, for him to be available, that’s what’s got to happen, especially at this time of year,” Curry said. “I’ve talked to him plenty of times about it, even tonight, and I’ll continue to talk to him as a teammate and a friend.”
— With files from AP