The Golden State Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns during their showdown on Saturday, 119-116. Steph Curry led the way for the Dubs, recording 28 points on 9-of-19 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, six assists and one steal.
Jimmy Butleradded 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting, while rookie Will Richard stepped up off the bench with 20 points and five boards.
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It wasn’t an easy win for the Warriors, especially with their defensive anchor Draymond Green getting ejected early in the contest.
Green was thrown out of the game after getting whistled for two technical fouls in quick succession. The All-Star forward’s first tech was the result of his hit on Suns guard Collin Gillespie, and after arguing with an official over the call, he was hit with another technical and ejected.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) looks on during a game.© David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Speaking to reporters following their win, Curry admitted that losing Green early in the game was “tough,” especially since they were hoping to bounce back nicely following three straight losses. It’s worth noting that prior to Saturday’s game, the Suns beat the Warriors 99-98 in their meeting last Thursday.
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Curry also stated that the game started off really physical, which continued in the second quarter, leading to the intense moment between Green and Gillespie.
“It was a weird, choppy, physical game in the first quarter and spilled into the second quarter,” Curry shared, per Joseph Dycus of The Mercury News.
For what it’s worth, Curry did say that Green’s untimely exit “woke” them up, knowing for a fact that they had to work extra hard and be at the top of their game if they were to escape with the victory.
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“I think it woke us up because without him, we would have had to play even tougher, dig deeper down the rotation,” Curry stated.
The important thing for the Dubs is that they were able to get back in the win column and improve their record to 14-15, which places them at No. 8 in the Western Conference standings.
Golden State returns to action on Monday against the Orlando Magic.
As for Green, he is expected to receive punishment from the NBA as a result of his ejection. Players get fined for every technical foul they incur during a game.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.