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SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected during the second quarter of a game against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 3 at Chase Center.
Green, who committed consecutive technical fouls, was sent to the shower room with 2 minutes and 25 seconds left in the second quarter.
After defending Jazz forward Kyle Filipovski in the paint, Green said something to the referee and clapped his hands.
Concerned about a no-call (was he looking for an offensive 3 in the paint?), Green took Filipovski’s pass and ran freely into the lane, allowing Lauri Markkanen to dunk.
Green continued to have a lively discussion with the referee, but received his first technical foul. He continued to argue his point, but received a second technical foul from another referee.
Green finished the game with eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and one block in 12 minutes. The Warriors led 65-58 at the half.
“I don’t know what he said,” Warriors manager Steve Kerr said after his team’s 123-114 victory.
It was Green’s ninth technical foul of the season. If a player receives his 16th technical during the NBA regular season, he will receive an automatic one-game suspension.
“We need Draymond. I want him to go out there,” Kerr said. “We’re not even halfway through the season yet. There’s still a long way to go and we need him.”
Green’s teammates also joined in his defense.
“Believe it or not, Dray was an inspiration to us,” Gary Payton II said. “Everyone had to step up their level. You can’t replace the work he did and what he brought to the team. I think after halftime we had a little more spark, fewer turnovers, getting in transition and allowing our shooters to get open shots.”
