Sports
Stephen Curry scores 34 as the Warriors hold off the Suns 116-113 after Draymond Green is ejected
Stephen Curry scored 34 and Charles Bassey had a career-high 19 as Golden State won its fifth straight in a testy game that saw Draymond Green tossed.
The Golden State Warriors were sleepwalking. Then Draymond Green got thrown out and everything changed.
Stephen Curry scored 34 points Monday night as the Warriors held off the Phoenix Suns 116-113 in a game with three technical fouls plus an ejection.
Golden State has now won five straight games after an 0-3 start.
How Green got tossed
Early in the third quarter Suns center Khaman Maluach knocked Green to the floor under the basket. Green bounced up, grabbed Maluach and threw him down after the whistle.
Dillon Brooks ran in from the top of the key to confront Green. The longtime rivals grabbed each other's jerseys and had to be separated.
After a review, officials gave Green a second technical along with one for Brooks. That meant an automatic ejection for Green.
It was the 31st ejection of Green's career. Twenty-three have come in the regular season with eight more in the playoffs.
"I was just trying to de-escalate it," Brooks said. "He was just tweaking all game."
The Warriors respond
Golden State trailed 67-57 when Green left. From there the Warriors outscored Phoenix by 13 points.
"He lit a fire in all of us," Curry said of Green. "We had to respond. I'm glad we did."
Coach Steve Kerr shrugged off the scuffle. "That's just the greatest NBA basketball players on earth competing," he said. "Nothing serious happened."
Bassey steps in
Backup center Charles Bassey took Green's minutes. He had a career-high 19 points with eight rebounds in 23 minutes.
Curry added seven assists with six rebounds. He hit five 3-pointers plus 11 of 12 free throws. He has made 51 of his 52 free throws this season.
Brandin Podziemski scored 20 points. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg added 16 a night after his career-high 37.
Tempers flare again
Things boiled over once more with 7:26 left. Miles Bridges got a technical for shoving Bassey after a scramble for a rebound.
Devin Booker scored 26 points for the Suns before fouling out with 58 seconds to play. Bridges had 21 while Brooks finished with 18.
Up next
The Warriors host the Miami Heat on Thursday night. The Suns host the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.
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