The Golden State Warriors' 120-97 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night was overshadowed by a heated exchange between coach Steve Kerr and forward Draymond Green. The incident occurred during an early third-quarter timeout, with Green ultimately leaving the bench and missing the final 20 minutes of the game.
The argument began when Kerr called a timeout and tried to gather his team, expressing his frustration with their lack of focus. Green, who had just committed a turnover and was engaging with an official, took exception to Kerr's comments, leading to a heated back-and-forth between the two. Despite the intensity of the moment, both parties have downplayed the incident, with Kerr stating that "we had it out a little bit" and Green saying that he "thought it was best that I get out of there" to cool off.
According to eyewitnesses, starting wing Moses Moody and assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse attempted to calm Green down, but he ultimately stood up and walked down the tunnel to the locker room. It was a dramatic turn of events, with Green's teammates and front office members later checking in on him to ensure that he was okay. Green returned to the bench prior to the fourth quarter but did not remove his warmups and never checked back into the game.
Tempers spilled over, and I thought it was best that I get out of there. I don't think it was a situation where it was going to get better. It was best to remove myself.
Kerr was adamant that Green would not have been allowed to return to the game, even if he had wanted to. "No, he wasn't going back in. No. He left. He went back to the locker room. We moved forward, and the guys played great," Kerr said. The incident marked the second straight game that Green had departed prematurely, having been ejected from Saturday's home win over the Phoenix Suns after playing just eight minutes.
Despite the drama surrounding Green's exit, the Warriors were able to surge into the lead behind a perfect stretch of shooting from Stephen Curry, who made all six of his shots in the third quarter. Curry finished with 26 points, while Jimmy Butler added 21. The Warriors' victory marked their second straight win, bumping their record back to.500 at 15-15.
However, the incident between Green and Kerr has raised questions about the team's dynamics and whether the two can put their differences aside. Kerr and Green have a long history together, having been part of the Warriors' organization for 12 seasons. While they have had their disagreements in the past, they have always been able to move forward and maintain a positive working relationship.
In the aftermath of the incident, Green spoke to reporters, attempting to defuse the situation and downplay the significance of the argument. "We've been at this now for a long time. Sometimes you're with people for a long time and there's a level of comfort and s--- happens. We move forward," Green said. Kerr also expressed his confidence that the incident would not have any lingering effects, stating that "we've been together for a long time" and that "it's unfortunate what happened, but it happened."
As the Warriors look to build on their recent success, they will need to put the incident between Green and Kerr behind them and focus on the task at hand. With a long and challenging season still ahead, the team will need to be able to overcome adversity and maintain a positive team dynamic. Only time will tell if they are able to do so, but for now, the Warriors are focused on moving forward and making a push for the playoffs.
Original: ESPN
Image: ESPN
Written by Npsports
