It wasn’t meant to be for the Golden State Warriors. The Phoenix Suns absolutely smashed them to end their season after what was clearly a frustrating night for the Bay. Stephen Curry’s knee injury appeared to flare up, and shots just didn’t fall. Meanwhile, Porzingis was limited to just 15 minutes. Everything that was concerning happened. That included a chippy aftermath to the loss, provoked by Draymond Green.

See, the Warriors’ defensive ace wasn’t just going to go out quietly. After intentionally fouling Devin Booker, Green started to get lively on the sidelines. He was talking all kinds of trash. Book took exception and nearly confronted the Warriors forward. That was strike one and a technical foul for both.

A few seconds later, Scott Foster didn’t see the tensions calming down. Just as the ball was inbounded to Booker, he blew his whistle and called a double technical foul on both players, ejecting them from the game. The infamous hand wave happened, and they were both gone. The Suns’ loyal cornerstone was upset. Devin Booker couldn’t be on the floor to celebrate their playoff berth. But Draymond Green looked like he was the happiest person on the planet.

On his way out, the four-time NBA champion mocked Foster for the ejection. Moreover, he got under the skin of Phoenix Suns fans. While walking away, Green gestured for them to be louder as they celebrated the Warriors forward’s ejection. The 36-year-old never dropped his smile. However, that was it for the tense bit in this clash.

In fact, Green has quite a history of postseason discipline. He was infamously suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals for accumulating too many flagrant foul points over the course of the playoffs. Then, 6 years later, he was ejected from Game 1 of Golden State’s second-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies for committing a flagrant-2 foul on Brandon Clarke.

In 2023, he was suspended for Game 3 of Golden State’s first-round series against the Sacramento Kings for stomping on the chest of Domantas Sabonis.

And given his track record, the league might look at his latest conduct and consider a possible fine. Getting ejected is one thing, but making a spectacle of the situation is another. The NBA has made it clear that it considers prior disciplinary history in more serious cases, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Green heard from the league office following his early exit.

The Phoenix Suns were outstanding in executing their game plan and emerging victorious over a much more experienced opponent.

Injuries keep the Warriors out of the playoffs

After a physical effort against the Clippers, the Warriors were out of juice. There were moments in the game when Stephen Curry was limping on his right knee, even stretching it during timeouts. That’s the same knee that caused him to miss two months. Curry ended the game shooting just 4-of-16 from the field. His legs weren’t under him, leading to 3-to-10 shooting from beyond the arc.

Furthermore, Kristaps Porziņģis’ right ankle also bothered him. The Latvian could only play 15 minutes, sitting out the pivotal fourth quarter where the Warriors actually hinted at a fightback. But those two key elements weren’t fully in the game. That left the team having to rely on their young players.

Brandin Podziemski had the most turnovers of any Warriors player. However, Kerr used him relentlessly. He was carrying the ball up the floor, making decisions, and played almost 40 minutes. Still, he was the highlight, with 23 points and 10 rebounds on great efficiency. The Warriors just didn’t have their mojo. On the other hand, Phoenix found theirs.

Notably, Jalen Green put the nail in the coffin on the Warriors’ playoff hopes. In a game where most players struggled to make shots, the former Rockets guard added 36 points and made eight threes. The Suns hit 18 triples. That included a flurry of shots from Jordan Goodwin and Royce O’Neale to close out the fourth quarter and eliminate the Warriors.

For Stephen Curry and Co., this was always going to be a difficult season. They lost Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, two stars who could have provided them with the gusto needed to survive this season. Moreover, with Curry out for two months, the longer path took a lot out of them. It’s all about recalibrating now.

The Warriors still have an amazing assembly of players when healthy. Staying on the floor will be the goal next season. As for this year, they learned that the team still has the gear to compete. They’ll try again next season, hoping to have a better campaign.