The Golden State Warriors lost their best defender Monday night. Somehow, their defense got better.
Draymond Green‘s third-quarter ejection against the Phoenix Suns threatened to derail Golden State’s comeback at Chase Center. Instead, the Warriors found another gear, limiting Phoenix to 20 fourth-quarter points in a 116-113 victory.
For coach Steve Kerr, watching his team produce its strongest defensive stretch without the former Defensive Player of the Year was unusual.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s rare when that happens,” Kerr acknowledged.
The Warriors’ fifth consecutive victory also revealed how an unexpected tactical adjustment helped reshape the game.
Warriors Turn Game Around After Draymond Green Ejection
Green’s night ended with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The veteran forward received two technical fouls following an altercation involving Phoenix center Khaman Maluach and Dillon Brooks.
Green had been knocked down during a positioning battle with Maluach. Moments later, he wrapped both arms around the center’s waist and threw him to the floor as Maluach attempted to finish a pass from Devin Booker.
Brooks rushed over to confront Green and also received a technical foul.
Phoenix led 67-57 when Green was ejected. Booker’s ensuing free throw extended the advantage to 11.
Golden State responded by outscoring Phoenix 59-45 the rest of the way.
Kerr credited his players for finally matching the Suns’ intensity after struggling against their defensive pressure throughout the first half.
“I think it was more just about us catching up to the energy that Phoenix was showing that whole first half,” Kerr said.
“Our guys summoned the energy necessary to win a game on a back-to-back.”
Suns’ Ryan Dunn Adjustment Opens Door for Warriors
Green’s departure also influenced Phoenix’s frontcourt rotation.
Oso Ighodaro had been effective offensively, scoring eight points before Green’s ejection and adding six afterward. He finished with 14 points on perfect 6-for-6 shooting, two rebounds, two assists and a block in 24 minutes.
Ighodaro threw down dunks with 4:54 and 3:24 remaining in the third quarter, the latter giving Phoenix a 90-86 lead.
Yet the Suns replaced him with Ryan Dunn at 3:07, deploying the 6-foot-8 forward at center.
The Warriors responded by outscoring Phoenix 11-6 over the next 5 minutes, 50 seconds, turning a four-point deficit into a 97-96 advantage.
Ighodaro returned with 9:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“Draymond’s [ejection] changed the game for Phoenix because they decided to go small after that,” Kerr explained.
“It kind of took Ighodaro out of the game a little bit.”
Kerr estimated Phoenix spent approximately 12 minutes using undersized lineups with Dunn at center.
Charles Bassey helped Golden State exploit the matchup, finishing with a career-high 19 points and eight rebounds while establishing an effective pick-and-roll connection with Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg added 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 34 points, while Brandin Podziemski contributed 20.
Warriors’ Five-Game Winning Streak Signals Major Turnaround
Golden State’s fifth consecutive victory completed an impressive turnaround after opening the season with three losses.
The Warriors never assembled a five-game winning streak throughout the previous campaign.
Now, they have accomplished that feat just eight games into the new season.
“It feels very real,” Kerr said.
“We turned a bad start into a good start and now we’ve got to keep it going.”
Kerr credited improved execution, ball security and transition defense for the resurgence.
He declined to comment on Green’s double technical, choosing instead to emphasize his team’s collective response.
Golden State will have two days to recover before hosting the Miami Heat on Thursday.
Green remains fundamental to the Warriors’ defensive identity.
But Monday demonstrated something Kerr rarely gets to witness: His team losing its most important defender, adjusting to an opponent’s tactical changes and somehow emerging stronger when the game mattered most.
Warriors’ Steve Kerr Admits Rare Development After Draymond Green Ejection