After about 3 peaceful months, Draymond Green was kicked out early again and put Golden State in a difficult position. Fortunately, Stephen Curry still shined so the Warriors won the match.
Since Draymond Green returned from an indefinite suspension earlier this year, the Golden State Warriors have repeatedly praised the striker for better controlling his emotions.
He still occasionally argued with the referee and played relatively “intensely” but rarely exceeded the limit… until the Warriors match against Orlando Magic on March 28.
Less than 4 minutes after the match started, Draymond Green was disqualified and expelled from the field for committing 2 consecutive technical fouls.
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green shared their thoughts with the referee
Green exceeded the limit when he repeatedly argued with referee Ray Acosta and even though he was given a technical foul as a warning, he still did not stop before using a statement with inappropriate content.
This caused referee Acosta to blow a second technical foul and Draymond Green was disqualified. It is worth mentioning that Green was not the one directly fouled, but Stephen Curry.
While Draymond left the field, coach Steve Kerr continued to chat with the referees about his student’s disqualification. But attention is now directed towards Stephen Curry, who clearly shows a look of mental fatigue, mixed with a bit of helplessness and possibly even disappointment.
“We need him on the field. He also knows that well. My whole team and even the opponent know that. So we always do everything we can to keep Draymond on the field ,” Stephen Curry shared after the match.
“Especially at this hot time of the season, we don’t want to harm ourselves anymore and focus on competing. Green being sent off right at the beginning of the match made everything very difficult.”
Image of Stephen Curry with sad and somewhat helpless eyes after Draymond Green was dismissed
This is the 4th time Draymond Green has been sent off during the season, a “career-high” index that he probably did not want. Green is also the first player to be sent off twice in the first half. over the past 20 years in the NBA.
“We clearly understand the importance of these matches because the team is looking to secure a place in the play-in round. We don’t want to lose the game ourselves before the final whistle blows. That’s why I felt sad at that moment.
Here, I or any member of the team really wants to win. We are in the sprint phase and believe that the team can advance to the postseason. So emotions surged inside me and the whole team at that time,” Stephen Curry added.
But instead of letting emotions take over and giving up the match, Stephen Curry used it as motivation to shine in the final minutes of the match.
Immediately after a beautiful step-back 3-pointer in front of young defender Jalen Suggs with 33 seconds left in the game, Curry showed off his familiar “good night” celebration on the way home.
And then when returning to the bench because the opponent called for a conference call, Curry was seen kicking three chairs away in the Warriors’ technical area.
“I have to let it out a little bit ,” Curry said. “In this tournament, nothing is certain. For us, we have to play two matches in two days and also lose two key players in the starting lineup, maybe Maybe not many people believe we can win.
Maybe because you are pushed into a corner, you will find some special energy within. I’m proud of the whole team for overcoming mental difficulties and fighting to win this important victory.”
