It was one of those moments where you could almost feel the energy shift in the building. Draymond Green, as usual, was in the middle of things—this time, wrapping up Memphis big man Zach Edey after a rebound. But then, out of nowhere, the refs stop the game to review the play and decide it’s a flagrant foul. And honestly, it didn’t even look that bad. The crowd wasn’t having it, booing loudly and chanting “referee s–ks.” Even Stephen Curry had that look of disbelief on his face.
We all know Draymond has a reputation for being fiery. His aggressive style, trash talk, and occasional fouls often put him in the refs’ crosshairs. But did he really deserve a flagrant foul here? It felt like the officials were calling it based on who he was, not what he actually did.
To make matters worse, Edey split his free throws, but Green quickly hit a three-pointer on the next possession to silence some critics. Of course, things didn’t end there—Green also picked up a technical foul shortly after. What makes it entertaining is Green and the rookie center already have a bit of a history. Earlier this year, Green referred to him as “soft” on his podcast.
Dennis Schroder fueled the fire by scoring while being fouled, and then yelling at Brandon Clarke, which earned him a technical foul. Chase Center fired up, chanting “ref you s–k” for the second time in the quarter.
The Warriors challenged the call on Schroder. When the referees reviewed it and overturned the decision, Curry celebrated, raising his arms in the air as the crowd cheered. This moment marked Curry’s contribution to the game since he was ruled out.
The Golden State Warriors handled the Memphis Grizzlies without Curry, securing a 121-113 victory. However, their roster problems could get complicated.
Warriors defeat one of the top teams in West without Stephen Curry, but their problems can get worse
Jonathan Kuminga exited Saturday’s game with a right ankle sprain, leaving the team to wonder how long he’ll be out. If it’s a minor sprain, he could return soon, but anything worse might sideline him well into January—or longer. The good news? Kuminga didn’t need help to leave the court, hopping to the locker room solo after the awkward landing.
Kuminga’s injury came after his best six-game stretch of the season, where he averaged 24.3 points and eight rebounds. He had 13 points and three triples before leaving the game.
Without Kuminga, that task just got trickier. But even with the setback, they handled Memphis pretty well, turning the page on an embarrassing 51-point loss earlier this season.
The Warriors knocked down a staggering 23 triples, with six players hitting at least three. Andrew Wiggins stepped up big, dropping 24 points, including a third-quarter surge of 18. Schroder added 17 points and nine assists, showing his value as a spark plug.
Late in the game, Lindy Waters III buried a clutch three to extend the lead, and Wiggins capped it off with a jaw-dropping one-handed dunk. As the final seconds ticked away, Green waved goodbye to the Memphis bench.
After their earlier embarrassment in Memphis, the Warriors made sure to respond with a statement win.
