Draymond Green’s passion is undeniable—he’s the Warriors’ emotional engine, always bringing fire, smarts, and defensive grit. But let’s be real, there’s a difference between playing with heart and losing control, and Green has stepped over that line way too many times. In 13 seasons, he has been ejected 22 times and suspended five times, a record that speaks for itself. His intensity can be a game-changer, but when it spills over, it’s a problem.

On Saturday, we saw the former DPOY come to his teammates. Trash talk is a staple of the NBA, but things got extra spicy when leaked audio surfaced of a heated back-and-forth between Caris LeVert and Jonathan Kuminga. The exchange started with LeVert taking a direct shot at Kuminga’s game.

“You a–,” LeVert told him. Kuminga, unfazed, fired right back. “Guard me 1-on-1… guard me,” he challenged. LeVert didn’t back down, repeating, “You a–, you know it too.” That’s when Kuminga had enough. “F— out of here,” he snapped.

Before things escalated further, Draymond Green jumped in to back up his teammate, taking a shot at LeVert’s career journey in the process.

“You’ve been traded seven times,” Green fired off. As the tension built, Trae Young chimed in, playing peacemaker in the situation.

“Relax, Dray, they just talking s—,” Young said. The NBA never lacks drama, and with Green always ready to ride for his teammates, this won’t be the last time he steps into the fire. In the end, LeVert got the last laugh. The Hawks took control and secured a 124-115 win, while Kuminga watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench.

But trash talk wasn’t the only thing haunting the Warriors—Green held himself accountable for their defensive struggles in the 125-114 loss to Atlanta.

Draymond Green takes accountability

Golden State never found its defensive rhythm against the Hawks, surrendering 40 points in the first quarter. Draymond Green didn’t shy away from taking the blame, admitting he didn’t set the standard.

“We’ve got to be better. That starts with me; we were terrible defensively,” Green told reporters, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.

From the jump, the Warriors looked off, and Green didn’t sugarcoat it. “We just didn’t come out like we were ready to play,” he said. “We got diced up in the first quarter, and from that point on, we were fighting an uphill battle.”

The timing of Green’s self-criticism was ironic. Just days earlier, he boldly claimed he had a “1 million percent” case for Defensive Player of the Year after a win over Milwaukee. A four-time All-Defensive first-team selection and the league’s top defender in 2017, Green has built his career on defensive dominance—but Saturday’s performance didn’t back up the talk.

Stat-wise, he had an underwhelming night, finishing with five points on 2-of-7 shooting, six rebounds, six assists, three steals, and a block. Jimmy Butler led the Warriors with 25 points, while Moses Moody added 20.

Green didn’t mince words about the team’s disappointing showing. “Bad loss. It’s a terrible loss,” he said. “Eleven games left with everything to play for, you shouldn’t have a loss like this.”

The absence of Steph Curry didn’t help. The 11-time All-Star missed the game after injuring his pelvis in Thursday’s win over Toronto, leaving the Warriors without their primary offensive engine.

Even with the setback, Golden State has been rolling since pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent Andrew Wiggins to Miami in exchange for Butler. The loss in Atlanta was only their fourth in 20 games since making the move. Now, all eyes are on Tuesday’s matchup against the Heat, where Butler will face his former team for the first time.

At 41-30, the Warriors are holding onto the sixth seed in the West by just half a game over the Clippers. With the playoff race tightening, every game feels like a must-win.