Stephen Curry became visibly upset when Draymond Green was ejected in the first quarter of the Warriors game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
Green, 34, was tossed early in the game after he yelled at officials while arguing a foul call on Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins.
In the NBA, a technical foul awards one penalty free-throw for the opposing team. If a player is given a second technical in the game, they are ejected.
Referee Ray Acosta initially gave Green a single technical foul, but the Warriors power forward continued yelling long enough to pick up a full ejection from the game amid a crucial stretch of games for Golden State as they fight for a spot in the playoffs.
That’s when Curry, 36, became noticeably upset on the court.
The Warriors star shook his head continuously in disbelief and his eyes appeared to water on the court. Head coach Steve Kerr put his arm around Curry on the sideline.
After his face became flushed, Curry pulled his jersey over his face in an emotional display.
Then, when he hit a game-sealing three-pointer for his team in the fourth, cameras caught Curry venting his frustration and kicking over a chair on the Warriors sideline.
Wednesday night’s ejection is Green’s fourth this season.
After the game, which the Warriors won 101-93, Curry spoke to reporters about Green’s ejection.
In a video shared by The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Curry said, “All I’ll say is we need him. He knows that. We all know that. So whatever it takes for him to be on the floor and available, that’s what’s gotta happen.”
Green has a historically poor relationship with NBA officials and was given a rare indefinite suspension from the league earlier this season for an incident with Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić.
The NBA said Green had shown “a history of unsportsmanlike acts” on the court at the time of his suspension. Green was “required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play,” per the statement.
During the 2022 playoffs, Green was suspended for stomping on Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis’ chest after he fell to the ground.
And before the start of the 2022 season, Green’s behavior was the talk of the NBA after video leaked from a Warriors practice in which he sucker punched teammate Jordan Poole in the face during an argument.
The Warriors currently sit in the 10th spot in the West, forcing them to compete in the NBA’s Play-In Tournament for a chance to advance to the playoffs if they don’t move up the ranks.
Golden State has 10 games left in the regular season. On Friday, they’ll visit the Charlotte Hornets, where Curry’s father, Dell Curry, is a broadcast announcer.