Things got tense during a timeout early in the third quarter on Monday night. Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Draymond Green started shouting at each other right there in the huddle. The team was down 71-66 to the Magic, and you could tell Kerr was frustrated. He called the timeout because he thought the guys weren’t locked in and weren’t sticking to the plan.

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Things kicked off after Green turned the ball over and started jawing with an official. Kerr called a timeout, but instead of cooling down, things just got heated between coach and player—everyone on the sideline could see it.

Things didn’t calm down in the huddle. Moses Moody and assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse tried to get Green to cool off, but he wasn’t having it. Instead, Green decided to take himself out of the game. He tossed a few last words Kerr’s way, then got up and headed straight for the tunnel, leaving his team without him for the rest of the third quarter.

Green spent about eight and a half minutes in the locker room, missing a chunk of important game time while the Warriors were still down. A few veteran teammates—Jimmy Butler III, Al Horford, Buddy Hield—and some folks from the front office stopped by to check in and show support while he cooled off.

Before the fourth quarter started, Green came back to the bench, but he never got back in the game. He kept his warmups on and watched from the sideline while the Warriors finished things off. Kerr decided not to play him again, no matter what the game needed after their blow-up.

Looking at the timing, you notice something: once Green left, Stephen Curry caught fire. He hit all six of his shots in the third, and just like that, Golden State took control. They ended up winning by 23, with Curry dropping 26 and Butler III adding 21.

After the game, Kerr kept things pretty close to the vest. He said the team would handle it privately and move forward—no drama, just business.

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Kerr didn’t dance around what happened. “Yeah, we had a disagreement. I called a timeout because I thought we’d lost our focus a bit. We talked, and he decided to head back to the locker room to cool off. That’s it. Everything else stays private. I’ve got nothing more to say.”

Someone asked if Green would get back in the game after that. Kerr didn’t hesitate. “No. He wasn’t coming back in. He left, went to the locker room, and we moved on. The guys out there played great.”

Even with all the tension, Kerr made it clear how much he values Green. “We need Draymond. He’s a champion. We’ve been doing this together for a long time. The rest of the team just has to keep pushing and getting better.”

Kerr didn’t hold back on praise either. “I thought Draymond played great,” he said. “That first half was brilliant—just didn’t hit our shots. But Draymond was exceptional.”

As for any fallout from the argument? Kerr shut that down. “No,” he said when someone asked if it would linger. “The group’s ready. You could see it tonight.”

Draymond owned his decision to leave the bench. He explained himself directly—taking responsibility and showing some real self-awareness about the whole thing.

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Green’s Side of the Story

Green didn’t sugarcoat what happened: tempers boiled over, so he figured it was just smarter to leave. He looked around and realized, yeah, this isn’t going to get any better. So he got out of there.

Talking about heading back to the locker room, Green put it plainly—things got heated, he didn’t see the situation improving, so he decided to step away. That’s it. No drama, just a call he thought he had to make.

Standing Up for His Game

Green wasn’t having it when people questioned his effort or performance. He fired back, saying he wasn’t frustrated at all. He pointed out he only had one turnover, even though he had the ball in his hands almost every minute he was on the floor. For him, if there’s a problem, he knows how to fix it. That early turnover? Just a blip, not a sign of him being careless.

Honestly, Green felt like everyone focused on the argument and what came after, ignoring what he saw as a pretty solid game on his part.

What’s Really Going On With the Team

Green admitted things have been tense—and yeah, the Warriors’ 15-15 record isn’t helping. He said that’s probably why everyone’s on edge. That frustration, in his eyes, isn’t about him and Kerr specifically. It’s more about the whole team not living up to what they set out to do this season.

A Long Road With Kerr

Green also reminded everyone that he and Coach Kerr go way back. After more than a decade together, you get comfortable, and stuff’s bound to happen. But they’ve been through worse and always moved forward. This time’s no different.

Taking Ownership

Even with the clash, Green wanted to make it clear—he’s not bailing on his teammates. He felt he owed it to them to come back out for the fourth quarter. He’s not the type to quit on his guys, no matter what’s going on with the coaches.

Curry’s Take: Keep It Moving

Meanwhile, Steph Curry, who couldn’t miss in the third quarter, kept it simple when asked about the whole Green-Kerr thing. He didn’t make a big deal out of it. For him, it was just another moment in a long season.
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Curry shrugged it off. “That’s just a good conversation. That’s for them to talk about, not me.” When someone pushed him to say if it would linger, he just said, “We know how to keep things professional.”

You could tell most of the locker room felt the same way. The disagreement? Just part of the game—nothing out of the ordinary, and definitely not something that would throw the team off course. Curry wanted to steer the mood back to the positive stuff after their win. “Honestly, these questions are more negative than they need to be. I get it, but downstairs, the DJ’s got some good music going, guys are working out, and we’re having fun because we’re winning.”

But zoom out a little, and you see where the tension’s coming from. The Kerr-Green thing didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. The Warriors sat at 15-15, which was way below what anyone expected from a team chasing another title. Frustration was hanging in the air.
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Recent Struggles and Ball Security Issues
Before the Magic game, the Warriors kept dropping winnable games, and Green was right in the middle of it—he racked up 13 turnovers over those losses. Steve Kerr wasn’t having it. He started drilling the team about taking care of the ball and choosing better shots. Turnovers turned into the main thing they talked about at practice.

Green’s Disciplinary Issues
Then came more drama. Just two days before his dust-up with Kerr, Green got tossed from the Suns game after only eight minutes. Back-to-back technicals, and he was out. So, first the ejection, then he walked off on Monday. By now, it was obvious—frustration was building on both sides.

The Pattern of Heated Moments
Honestly, arguments between Kerr and Green aren’t anything new. Monday’s blow-up was just another round in a long line of heated moments from their 12 years together. They both admit they’ve gone at it plenty of times, on the court and behind closed doors. Still, none of these fights ever blew up their working relationship for good.

History of Kerr-Green Tensions: A Complex Relationship
Let’s face it, Kerr and Green have always had a tricky dynamic. Monday night just added to a long list of tense moments that have marked their time together.

The Jordan Poole Incident
The worst of it? That happened during the 2022-23 season. Green punched Jordan Poole in the face at practice on October 5, 2022. Kerr didn’t hide how angry he was. “For sure, the Jordan Poole incident. He crossed the line with Jordan and he knows it. He knew it immediately, and it made that season incredibly difficult for everybody.”
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Kerr put it simply: “Draymond and I have a lot in common, even if most people don’t see it. He crossed the line with Jordan, and he knew it right away. That whole season was tough for everyone.”

Draymond Green’s had his share of trouble with the Warriors. In 2024, he sat out multiple long suspensions after the NBA called his behavior over the line. That’s the thing with Draymond—he and Kerr go way back, and their bond is strong, but Draymond’s emotions get the best of him sometimes.

Still, Green’s too important to ignore. He’s a huge part of what makes the Warriors tick. His defense, his smarts, the way he sees the game—all of that keeps the team in the hunt for another title.

Look at this season: Draymond’s averaging 8.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. But honestly, stats only tell part of the story. On the court, he’s always directing traffic, talking, keeping everyone locked in. The Warriors lean on that, even more than his numbers.

Earlier this year, there was talk about whether Green should keep starting at center. Kerr admitted he didn’t want to do it for a full season again: “I don’t want to start next season with Draymond as our starting center. It works for the last 30 games like we did this year, but you can see what it does to him.” 

Draymond didn’t argue—he just said he’d do whatever it takes to help the team win. That’s who he is. Even as he gets older, he’s all in.

And looking ahead, Joe Lacob, the Warriors’ owner, has already floated the idea of Green coaching the team someday. He told Draymond, “When you’re done, I could see you coaching this team when Steve’s done. I’d love to see that.” That’s a lot of faith in Draymond’s basketball brain, even with all the stuff that’s happened.

So, about the blowup between Kerr and Green back on December 23, 2025—it’s just another bump in a long, complicated road. Sure, the argument was loud and Draymond stormed off, but both guys quickly tried to smooth things over and remind everyone they’re in this together.

The team went out and beat the Magic convincingly right after, so it didn’t drag them down. But with the Warriors sitting at 15-15, there’s still tension under the surface. The coaches and players have work to do.

For Kerr and Green, though, this isn’t uncharted territory. They’ve clashed before and always found a way forward. After twelve seasons, and even bigger incidents like the one with Jordan Poole, they know how to patch things up for the good of the team. If the Warriors want to turn things around and chase another championship, that relationship—messy as it is—could be the difference.