ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 22: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after being charged with a foul in the final minutes of their 102-92 win over the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on February 22, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Draymond Green was ejected from the Golden State Warriors’ game against the Orlando Magic Wednesday night. On his podcast Thursday, he took the blame for the inciting incident, in which he yelled at referee Ray Acosta.
“It just can’t happen,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show Thursday. “I said what I said. I deserved to be kicked out at that point. If I’m all the way honest with y’all, kind of was trying to turn my body and angle it to go to the bench, but I said what I said a little too soon before angling my body. … But, yeah, it just can’t happen.”
It was Green’s fourth ejection of the season, setting a new high for the controversial veteran. It also occurred four minutes into the game after Green directed several negative comments at Acosta after an early personal foul.
Despite losing Green almost immediately, the Warriors rallied behind a sparkling performance 17-point, 10-assist performance from Steph Curry to defeat Orlando 101-93. Forward Andrew Wiggins also scored 23 points in the contest, making up for Green’s absence and marking a potential turnaround for the struggling big man.
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Green has been one of many players on Golden State who has struggled in the 2023-24 season. Beyond Curry, who continues to produce at a high level, the team has been extremely ineffective in comparison to previous years.
Unlike most of his teammates, however, Green has struggled with behavioral problems as well; he was suspended earlier in the season for a violent altercation with the Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic and has repeatedly acted out despite apologizing on several occasions.
When Green was one of the league’s top defenders, he was a key member of the Warriors’ dynasty. He has been more of a distraction this season, however, and has been one of several players to blame for the team’s skid in the Western Conference. Golden State is currently 10th with a 38-34 record, putting them in danger of missing the playoffs entirely for the first time since 2013.
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