Warriors Rally After Draymond Green’s Ejection to Beat Suns

Green was ejected about two minutes into the third quarter after grabbing Phoenix center Khaman Maluach and throwing him to the floor. Dillon Brooks confronted Green, who grabbed Brooks’ jersey. After reviewing the incident, officials gave Green two technical fouls and Brooks one, ending Green’s night with the Warriors trailing 68-57.

The Warriors quickly erased the deficit, tying the game at 73 less than four minutes after Green’s ejection. They did not fall behind by more than six points again and finished with a 116-113 win. Brandin Podziemski, who scored six points in the first half, finished with 20.

Stephen Curry said Green’s ejection “lit a fire in all of us” and that the team had to respond. Podziemski said the incident fueled the Warriors, who had lacked an edge early. Both players welcomed the energy it brought, despite Green moving closer to the NBA’s threshold for an automatic suspension: his second technical foul of the game put him two away from 16.

Phoenix went smaller after Green left, putting 6-foot-7 forward Ryan Dunn at center. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the adjustment opened up the game and helped the crowd and his team find energy. The Warriors were playing the second game of a back-to-back, while the Suns had last played Friday. It was Golden State’s eighth game of the season; Phoenix had played five.