Draymond Green barely made it through November before receiving his first ejection of the 2026-27 NBA season. On Monday night, after being knocked over by Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach during a transition play, Green reacted by tackling Maluach, wrapping him up and bringing him down—even though Maluach managed to score an and-1. This incident prompted Dillon Brooks to confront Green, leading to a brief altercation that resulted in Green receiving two technical fouls and being ejected. The Warriors ultimately won the game.
Brooks later commented, “I was just trying to calm things down. He was just tweaking all game.” This marked the 31st ejection of Green’s career, with the forward now accumulating three technical fouls this season, tying him for the league lead. Notably, reaching 16 technicals in a season triggers an automatic one-game suspension.
Despite Green’s absence, the Warriors rallied from a double-digit deficit late in the game to secure a 116-113 victory, highlighted by Stephen Curry’s 34 points and a strong performance off the bench by Charles Bassey, who recorded 19 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes. Interestingly, Bassey’s 19 points in limited court time matched Green’s entire 19-point total in 159 minutes this season. While Green leads the team in assists with an average of 6.3 per game, the offense runs efficiently with Curry and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg combining for over 50 points per game.
With the win, Golden State improved to 5-3 and currently holds seventh place in the Western Conference, aiming to return to the playoffs after missing out for three consecutive seasons.
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Fan Take: This incident puts a spotlight on Draymond Green’s fiery style of play, which can both ignite his team and cause costly distractions. For basketball fans, it’s a reminder that emotional control and discipline are just as crucial as talent in the pursuit of championship success.
Source: www.cbssports.com
