Warriors shock Magic despite Draymond Green's ejection

ORLANDO, Fla. — Steph Curry keeled over with his hands on his knees. He tugged the neck of his jersey over his red face, visibly upset that his longtime teammate got himself tossed.

Draymond Green, the Warriors’ embattled defensive star, got ejected less than four minutes into Wednesday night’s game for arguing with official Ray Acosta.

But Curry and the Warriors recovered from the early, Green-imposed drama. In fact, they never trailed after Green headed to the locker room.

In a tight fourth quarter, Andrew Wiggins dropped 13 of his team-high 23 points and Curry (17 points, 10 rebounds) celebrated a step-back 3 that clinched a 101-93 victory. On a night everything could’ve gone wrong, the Warriors (38-34) pulled out a win over the contending Magic (42-30).

With 8:24 in the first quarter, Green earned his fourth ejection of the season — and his first since returning from his indefinite suspension.

The Warriors were already short-handed even before losing Green, as Jonathan Kuminga was unavailable due to tendinitis in his left knee — an ailment Steve Kerr considers minor. It was only the second game missed by Kuminga, who has emerged as the closest thing the Warriors have to a dependable secondary scorer next to Curry. Kuminga has averaged 16.3 points per game and cracked double-digit points in 49 of his past 51 games.

Yet without both Kuminga and Green, the Warriors somehow wrestled Orlando into an extended submission. Immediately after Green jogged to the locker room, Golden State went on a 21-2 run. Paolo Banchero’s and-1 — the play Green lost his composure at with 8:24 left — was Orlando’s last made field goal of the opening quarter.

Orlando’s clanks added up to a 3-for-22 shooting start. Golden State held Orlando to 11 points in the first quarter, their second best defensive frame of the year.

Much of their success was simply Orlando missing clean looks. But the Warriors were bringing a physicality that appeared to give the Magic issues. Gary Payton II in particular flew around the court like a wrecking ball.

Orlando’s offense looked stagnant, with too many isolations and midrange jumpers. On one possession, Anthony Black bricked a layup and Mo Wagner airballed a fadeaway jumper in the paint.

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