Draymond Green Escapes Ejection, Leads Warriors to Crucial 3-1 Series Lead Over Rockets
In a fiercely contested Game 4, the Golden State Warriors edged out the Houston Rockets 109-106, taking a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. The match, which was marked by several altercations, saw Draymond Green narrowly avoid ejection, despite being involved in two separate incidents.
According to Yahoo Sports, the trouble began early in the second quarter when Green and Stephen Curry got into a heated exchange with Houston forward Dillon Brooks. The incident started after Green set a hard screen on Amen Thompson, which Brooks responded to with a hip-check on Curry. The situation escalated, with Curry throwing up two fingers at Brooks after being called for a foul, and Brooks attempting to grab the ball out of Curry’s hands. The altercation resulted in technical fouls being awarded to Curry, Green, and Brooks.
As reported by Yahoo Sports, Green was involved in another altercation just minutes later, this time with Tari Eason. Green fell on top of Eason and made contact with his head using his feet while fighting for a loose ball. Although Green was assessed a flagrant foul, he managed to avoid the automatic ejection. Eason was also given a technical foul.
The tensions between the two teams were palpable, with Yahoo Sports quoting Jalen Green as saying on Saturday, "Steph [Curry] had a good game. The reason they won. Just talking. [Draymond] can’t really do much of anything else, so talking is his only way." The comments highlight the ongoing animosity between the teams, which carried over into Game 4.
The game itself was a closely contested affair, with the Rockets taking a seven-point lead into the locker room at halftime. However, the Warriors erupted in the third quarter, going on an 18-1 run to take a 10-point lead. Although the Rockets responded and briefly tied the game, the Warriors held on to a two-point lead after the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Warriors managed to pull away, going on a 5-0 run capped by a crucial contested 3-pointer from Buddy Hield. Despite Fred VanVleet tying the game with a huge 3-pointer of his own, Jimmy Butler drew a foul on a 3-point attempt and hit all of his free throws to put the Warriors back in front.
As Yahoo Sports reports, the Rockets had one final opportunity to take the lead, but Alperen Şengün’s jumper was off the mark with Green in his face. Butler secured the rebound and hit a pair of free throws, sealing the Warriors’ three-point win.
The top performers for the Rockets included Şengün, who led the team with 31 points and 10 rebounds, while VanVleet added 26 points and six assists. For the Warriors, Butler led the team with 27 points and six assists, including 14 points in the fourth quarter alone. Brandin Podziemski added 26 points, and Stephen Curry finished with 17 points, three assists, and three rebounds.
The series now shifts back to Houston, where the Warriors hold the advantage and are poised to end the Rockets’ season. With tensions running high, Wednesday’s matchup is expected to be just as contentious, if not more so. As Yahoo Sports notes, Green got the last laugh over the Rockets, despite nearly fouling out and getting himself tossed from the contest.
