Draymond Green went off on the officials in the third quarter of Tuesday’s game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. Green was upset that the referees missed Austin Reaves hitting him in the face and Stephen Curry eventually stepped in between him and an official. After the game, Curry spoke about defusing tensions between Green and the referees.
“I’m not going to ever tell Draymond at that point as long as he’s not stepping overboard like don’t talk, but there is a moment where okay, you made yourself heard and now let’s play basketball and he did that to perfection,” Curry said. “He doesn’t need a babysitter in that respect, don’t get it twisted, but just trying to read the room, read the situation.”
As Curry said, Green had already made it crystal clear to the officials what he was upset about, and that was enough. It was time to switch the focus back to playing basketball and that’s what Draymond did from then on. He would finish the game with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 block, as the Warriors won 134-120.
Had Green been ejected at that point, the result might have been different, and Curry, in some ways, ensured that did not happen. In light of recent events, the two-time MVP might have also felt he had to put his foot down there.
"He doesn't need a babysitter in that respect … Don't get it twisted."
Steph explains his role in diffusing tensions between Draymond and the refs pic.twitter.com/1yUdMu6SFH
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 10, 2024
The veteran forward has been ejected four times this season and following the fourth one, high-level NBA officials were reportedly questioning Curry’s leadership for failing to control Green. Well, he’s now trying to do that by not letting the situation escalate.
Curry has no issues with Draymond talking to the officials but just doesn’t want him to go overboard. As for his own play here, the 36-year-old had 23 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks on the night, as the Warriors improved to 44-35 on the season.
Draymond Green Called Out The Referees And Spoke About Stephen Curry Stepping In
Green was asked about that fiery interaction with the officials and his teammates stepping in during his postgame press conference. He proceeded to call out the officials over double standards and praised Curry for the role he played.
“Yeah it was cool, Steph was standing there,” Green said. “Which was great because he heard how the referee talked to me and he went immediately from talking to me to like, ‘Yo, you can’t talk to him like that.’ I think that’s the wackest part about it. You can say and speak to me however you feel but if I say something back it’s a tech.”
“I get hit in the face every single game and I get no foul call,” Green stated. “I hit somebody in the face, I get thrown under the jail. But when I get hit in the face (they say), ‘We don’t see it.'”
Green lamented that the officials would review to check for a flagrant foul if he blew his breath on somebody. The 34-year-old clearly seems to think that they are out to get him and is incredibly frustrated by it. Green needs to keep his emotions in check, though, as the Warriors desperately need him out there on the court.
