This time, they were rejuvenated.
After a skirmish between the Warriors’ power forward and Washington guard Bradley Beal late in the first half on Friday night, the Warriors were down 14 points. But Golden State appeared rejuvenated by Green’s early exit, storming back for a 120-117 win Friday night at Oracle Arena.
With 19.5 seconds left in the first half, Green and Bradley grappled as the Wizards missed a shot, eventually going to the floor behind the Wizards’ basket. After 40 seconds, Green emerged with the right side of his white jersey ripped.
After a lengthy review, Green and Beal were ejected for fighting. Green, who received a technical earlier in the quarter for jawing with an official, was cheered as he trudged toward the home locker room. Moments later, those same fans rained down boos as Beal disappeared through the opposite tunnel.
Golden State was suddenly on precarious footing: Could the Warriors overcome such a deficit without their emotional leader? Plagued by complacency much of its first 5½ games, Golden State appeared rejuvenated by Green’s early exit, storming back for a 120-117 win Friday night at Oracle Arena.
The Warriors again looked surprisingly flawed as they committed 17 turnovers and shot 10-for-38 from beyond the arc. With Otto Porter Jr. (29 points) leading four Washington players with at least 18 points, the Wizards sank 15 three-pointers with only six giveaways.
But Golden State scored 52 points in the paint and outrebounded Washington, 53-41. Kevin Durant poured in 24 of his 31 points after Green’s ejection as the Warriors staved off what would’ve been their third loss in their sixth game of the season.
Down 10 points at the start of the fourth quarter, Golden State went on a 24-12 run to go up 111-109 — their first lead since midway through the first. A Warriors team that has struggled defensively this season forced Wizards guard Jodie Meeks into a missed three-pointer at the buzzer to seal the victory.
It all came without arguably Golden State’s most important player.
With less than a minute left in the second quarter and the Warriors down 64-50, Green swatted a Beal floater attempt. Moments later, after Kelly Oubre Jr. missed a three-point try, Beal grabbed Green around the neck as Green went to box him out. Green immediately turned around, grabbed Beal’s back and the two grappled before falling on the baseline in front of the Wizards’ basket.
Players from both teams joined the fray as referees tried to intervene. After the scrum was finally broken up, Green, bottom right side of his jersey barely hanging together by a thread, stared blankly at Beal as a team security guard held him back. The big screen above showed Green tell head coach Steve Kerr, “He punched me.” After a long review, Green and Beal were tossed.
Beal, white towel draped over his neck, was walking toward the visitors’ locker room after his ejection when he saw a Warriors fan shouting expletives at him outside the arena tunnel. As Beal came upon the heckler, he stopped and grinned before security guards shooed him on his way.
Perhaps Beal recognized that, in angering Green, he had significantly buoyed the Wizards’ shot at a win. Because on a team loaded with mild-mannered personalities, Green’s bravado is indispensable. He sets the tone defensively, barks at teammates when their energy is lagging, and finds the open man better than any on the club.
The bad blood rippled through both lineups. When played resumed, John Wall drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give Washington a 67-53 halftime lead, then jawed with courtside fans.
As Green left the locker room at halftime, he told ESPN’s Chris Haynes, “I don't know what I’m supposed to do if someone hits you twice. Man, you’re taught as a kid not to allow that. What was I supposed to do?”