Tonight captured the many sides of Draymond Green. He was all smiles early as the Chase Center turned his son DJ’s ninth birthday into a moment to remember. But the tone shifted sharply when Green got chippy with Steve Kerr and walked off to the locker room. It was a deflating scene, yet Dub Nation still rose to appreciate its players.

The entire arena burst into a ‘Happy Birthday’ song for the 9-year-old. DJ couldn’t stop smiling, and as a father, Draymond Green couldn’t help but leave the huddle and join the celebrations. So this time, he left the team for the right reasons during a timeout in the first half, just to find his son in the crowd.

The veteran forward joined in and particularly enjoyed the crowd’s reception. After the game, the former DPOY also shared his gratitude to the Warriors fans for making the day special for his son.

“Happy Birthday Big Dude! Love to the Dub Nation!” Draymond Green said, responding to the moment on Instagram threads.

All in all, it was a great day for the fans present at the arena. The Warriors got back to a .500 record, beating the Orlando Magic with an electric second-half performance. Stephen Curry hit seven of his 10 shots, and the Warriors outscored the Magic 62-40 to claim a much-needed win after snapping a three-game losing streak against the Phoenix Suns.

But this week hasn’t been all that kind to Draymond Green. Against the Suns, he was ejected early in the game for arguing with the officials. Tonight, the four-time champion watched from either the locker room or the bench as his teammates produced a second-half clinic to get their 15 win of the season after his tense exchange with head coach Steve Kerr.

Draymond Green and Steve Kerr make little of their heated exchange

Draymond Green’s smile in the second half quickly changed to frustration in the third quarter after a sloppy turnover. During the timeout, he and Steve Kerr got into an argument, which saw the veteran forward head straight to the locker room. Explaining his decision, Green felt it was the best thing to do at the time. Kerr wouldn’t go into much detail about what happened either.

However, neither side is holding any grudges from that moment. They have had spats before, and the team is willing to overcome them once again. Because at the heart of that exchange was Green’s anger about the Warriors’ inconsistencies this season.

Top Stories

Paige Bueckers Gives a Peek Into Her Minnesota Christmas Away From WNBA

LeBron James Drops Retirement Hint as He Shuts Down Claims of All-Time Record

WNBA Expansion Draft: Predicting 5 Players Every Team Will Protect

Knicks Exploring Ways to Cut Ties With $5.5M Player, Putting Fan Favorite at Risk -Insider

Draymond Green Breaks Silence on Heated Steve Kerr Moment Leading to Exit From Warriors-Magic

“It’s probably why tempers are flaring. Quite honestly, if everybody’s OK with being 15-15 and it’s just whoop-dee-doo, talk to me when they’re 41-41,” Green said. “Can’t be whoop-dee-doo when you’re 15-15. Something’s gotta give, but we were 13-15, so I’ll take 15-15. It means it’s headed in the right direction.”

Steve Kerr decided to sit Green out once he left for the locker room. But as for his performance until that point, the head coach was satisfied. In almost 18 minutes, Green made four of his five shots to go with 2 assists and seven rebounds. Fortunately, the pair is confident that the situation won’t linger because of one particular reason.

“Because none of the other ones ever have. Still keep winning. It’s gonna be all right,” Green added.

Steve Kerr also agreed, stating the Warriors “need” their playmaking forward’s playmaking and intensity to be successful. Having had a close relationship for so many years, at times, the comfort levels can lead to exhaustive arguments between the pair. But what doesn’t change is their commitment to each other?

The Warriors seem to be generating momentum at a time when the team was in dire need of it. And through thick and thin, Draymond Green has ensured that he will continue to serve the team first. For now, their openness in addressing the situation has helped cool down the supposed concerns about their argument.