Hook paragraph – Draymond Green left the Warriors bench after a heated exchange with coach Steve Kerr during a third-quarter timeout, sparking a tense moment that could have rattled the team’s 15-15 season.
The Huddle Incident
During a third-quarter timeout Monday night, Warriors forward Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr got into a heated exchange in the huddle. Kerr said, “We got into it obviously and I took the timeout just because I thought we lost our focus there a little bit.” He added, “We had it out a little bit and he made his decision to go back to the locker room to cool off and that’s all I’m going to say about it. Everything is private. I’ve got nothing further to add.”
Green’s Decision to Leave
Green said, “Tempers spilled over and I just thought it was best that I get out of there.” He continued, “I don’t think there was a situation where it was going to get better so it was just best to remove myself. That’s it.” He also noted that he was available to play again, but it wasn’t his decision. “I thought I owed it to my teammates to be there. I’m not going to quit on my teammates,” he said.
Green’s frustration stemmed from the Warriors’ 15-15 record, which he said was “probably why tempers are flaring.” He added, “Basketball, it’s what we do,” and explained, “We play basketball, it’s an emotional game. People lose their emotions sometimes, it happens.” After leaving for the locker room, he felt a responsibility to speak with the media “for sure.” Assistant coach Anthony Vereen accompanied him.
Team Reaction
Stephen Curry said he saw a positive conversation between Kerr and Green, stating, “just having a good conversation.” He added, “That’s kind of for them to talk about, not me.” Curry also said there were positive, winning vibes in the locker room after the nice win and “I’m pretty sure we know how to be professional.”
Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski said Green “was a great teammate on the bench” after coming back. “It’ll get figured out,” Podziemski said.
When asked if the issue would linger, Kerr answered, “No.” He explained, “The group’s ready to go, you could see in the game tonight.” He continued, “We need Draymond. He’s a champion. We’ve been together for a long time. All we can do is the rest of the group keep pushing, keep getting better. I thought this was one of our better games. I thought the first half was brilliant – we just didn’t make shots. I thought Draymond played great.”
Key Takeaways
- Draymond Green left the bench after a heated exchange with coach Steve Kerr during a third-quarter timeout.
- Green cited frustration over the Warriors’ 15-15 record and felt it was best to remove himself.
- The team remains focused, with Kerr affirming the group’s readiness and the need to keep pushing.
Closing paragraph – The Warriors’ 120-97 victory over the Orlando Magic ended the game with Green contributing nine points and seven rebounds in nearly 18 minutes, but the incident highlighted underlying tensions that the coaching staff and players are working to resolve.
