Early exit against jazz
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected early in Saturday night’s game against the Utah Jazz after picking up two technical fouls in about 30 seconds. Green’s frustration boiled over as he argued with officials over what he believed should have been a three-second violation under the basket. His animated protests earned the first tech, and continued arguing almost immediately led to a second tech, forcing him out of the game in the second quarter.
Green’s departure came as the Warriors were chasing momentum. Despite losing their veteran forward, Golden State fought back and earned a 123-114 victory over Utah. Fellow All-Star Stephen Curry finished with a strong scoring night, including a big third quarter that helped lift the Warriors after Green left the court.
Which led to the expulsion
The sequence started with Green hitting the ball upfield after not being called for a defensive play. He was upset that the officials didn’t call a three-second violation on Jazz big man Kyle Filipowski, and he loudly let the officials know. Official Simone Jelks presented him with the first technical response for his response. Moments later, Green continued his protests by making additional comments to another official, leading to the second technical and automatic expulsion.
Warriors teammates and coaches fought to calm him down, but the situation escalated too quickly for a turnaround. Under NBA rules, two non-egregious technical fouls result in an ejection, and Green had no choice but to return to the locker room.
Draymond got two techs and was ejected in this series 😳 pic.twitter.com/J4PeJXNNIP
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 4, 2026
Team responses
Head coach Steve Kerr said after the game that he wants Green on the field but understands officials have to enforce the rules. Curry, meanwhile, suggested the consensus in the locker room was that Green’s actions did not merit an ejection. However, neither downplayed how quickly the situation escalated from words to loss of playing time.
Green’s passion has been a defining part of his career, but it has also led to several exclusions this season. The latter adds to his total of technical fouls and raises concerns about his discipline on the field.
Impact on the warriors
Losing Green early forced the Warriors to adjust rotations mid-game. Players leaned on depth and sharpshooting to cover up his absence. Golden State’s ability to win despite his departure showed resilience, but also highlighted how disruptive ejection can affect team rhythm.
With the playoff position on the line, the Warriors will need Green’s intensity — minus the quick technical fouls — to maintain consistency down the stretch.
#Green #ejected #Warriors #game #quick #technical #fouls