Draymond Green’s return to the lineup didn’t last nearly as long as the Golden State Warriors hoped.
After sitting out Friday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder for rest, Green was back on the floor Saturday night against the Utah Jazz, starting alongside Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, who also both returned from injury absences. But the Warriors were forced to play most of the game without Green after he was ejected late in the first half.
The four-time All-Star was hit with back-to-back technical fouls late in the second quarter. With 2:25 remaining before halftime, Green argued with officials over what he believed should have been a three-second violation against the Jazz, and the exchange quickly escalated into an ejection.
That ended Green’s night after just 12 minutes of action. He finished with eight points, three rebounds, two assists and a block before heading to the locker room.
Draymond Green’s Concerning Trend; Jimmy Butler Reacts
The ejection also added to a growing concern for Golden State. Green entered the game with seven technical fouls and now sits at nine on the season. Under NBA rules, players receive an automatic one-game suspension upon reaching 16 technical fouls.
This wasn’t an isolated incident either. Green was ejected from a late-December game against the Phoenix Suns after arguing with a referee, a contest the Warriors still managed to win, 119-116. That has fueled a narrative that Golden State somehow finds a way when Green exits early. It’s worth noting that the Dubs were also able to beat the Jazz on Saturday, 123-114.
Jimmy Butler made it clear he doesn’t buy into that idea.
When it was pointed out that the Warriors have won games in which Green was ejected, Butler quickly shut it down.
“That ain’t the formula. No, no, no, no, no,” Butler said, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. “We need ’23’ out there.”
At his current pace, Green is walking a fine line, and any additional technical fouls could lead to more serious consequences. For now, the Warriors will hope their emotional leader can stay on the floor — because, as Butler put it, that’s the formula they actually need.
