The Golden State Warriors took the floor tonight against the Utah Jazz, desperate for redemption, still stinging from a crushing, demoralizing blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder the night before.

But just when it seemed the team might find its footing and channel that frustration into energy, disaster struck early: veteran forward Draymond Green—already on a short leash with technicals piling up—was hit with back-to-back techs in the second quarter, erupting in argument over a non-call and earning an immediate ejection that left Chase Center buzzing and the Warriors suddenly shorthanded.

What Triggered the NBA Ejection?

During the second quarter, with 2:25 left on the clock, Green was defending Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski in the paint, and Green started clapping his hands while saying something to the officials.

Then, he gave up a Lauri Markkanen dunk, who ran into the lane after the pass from Filipowski while Green was arguing about a no-call on Filipowski for staying parked in the paint for more than three seconds with the referees.

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What Happened During the Ejection?

Green received a technical as he kept arguing animatedly, before drawing another technical from a different ref after continuing to argue his case. In under 30 seconds, he received the two technicals and had to head to the locker room.

Green is eight games removed from his last ejection against the Phoenix Suns on December 20, when he shoved guard Collin Gillespie hard, earning his first technical foul and arguing with referees about the call, which resulted in his second technical foul and ejection from the game.

The rough stretch continued for Green two days later, when, during a game against the Orlando Magic, he got into an argument with head coach Steve Kerr, leading to him leaving for the locker room. Tonight, the team managed to beat the Jazz by nine points in a closely contested game.

Draymond’s night might have ended early, but it didn’t end the team’s resolve. At the time of his ejection, Markkanen stretched the Utah lead to 12 off technical free throws, but instead of unraveling, the Warriors responded immediately.

A quick 10-5 run fueled by Stephen Curry and De’Anthony Melton steadied the team and helped them cut the deficit to seven.

Curry took immediate control afterward, unleashing one of his signature vintage explosions. After a quiet first half where he was held to just nine points and two threes, clearly still shaking off the rust from a one-game absence due to a sprained left ankle, the 2x MVP erupted for 20 points and four threes in the third quarter alone, including a pair of effortless 30-foot-plus heaters that had Chase Center erupting and the Jazz defense scrambling in disbelief.

Deep threes, delivered with that trademark nonchalance and a casual lookaway on one, completely flipped the game on its head, powering a decisive 9-2 run that snapped a 91-all tie and secured the lead Golden State never relinquished.

The supporting cast also stepped up well. Jimmy Butler and Quentin Post chipped in 15 points each, with Melton adding 13 of his own as Golden State leaned into a perimeter shooting advantage, outpacing Utah on threes with a 19-13 margin.

Gary Payton II cleaned the glass well, logging eight rebounds, and young guard Brandin Podziemski orchestrated with timely passes in Green’s absence, recording eight assists.

Tonight’s win was a much-needed victory after the Thunder loss, and the team managed to secure it despite losing Draymond Green early.