SAN FRANCISCO — Three days after an argument between Steve Kerr and Draymond Green tested the foundation of their organization, the Golden State Warriors completed a 3-0 homestand to exit a turbulent week with the most momentum they’ve had in a month.
«We’re in a good place,» Kerr said after the 126-116 showcase Christmas win over the Dallas Mavericks.
One day earlier, Kerr and Green were in front of the team at practice apologizing for their role in a sideline argument that overshadowed a Monday night blowout win over the Orlando Magic.
The spat started early in the third quarter Monday after a Green turnover and Kerr timeout. As Kerr tried to get Green away from a conversation with the officials, the two had a heated exchange. Green then left the bench for the locker room, sitting the final 20 minutes and generating another round of internal Warriors drama for the basketball world to debate.
1 Related
«Them two are [now] in a better place,» Steph Curry said. «Stuff like that happens. They have the equity of years and years of a relationship that has had its moments. They handled yesterday at practice well and we handled today well as a team.»
Kerr delivered a 15-minute news conference after Wednesday’s practice, apologizing for his part in the interaction and affirming his desire to have Green remain with the Warriors the rest of his career.
Green played 28 minutes and scored seven points in Thursday’s win over the Mavericks, but his teammates did the heavy lifting. Curry scored 23, leading a group of seven Warriors in double figures.
In his return from a bout of sciatica, veteran center Al Horford made four first-quarter 3s to generate the necessary separation. Jimmy Butler had 14 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists, pushing the Warriors past a Mavericks team that lost Anthony Davis to groin spasms in the second quarter.
«It ain’t going to be quiet all the time,» Butler said of the Green and Kerr argument. «It’s OK. You’ve got two fierce competitors that have won it together and want to continually win. I expect that to happen.»
Butler was in the middle of the fiery huddle Monday and went to check on Green during his extended cooling-off period in the locker room. Butler sounded pleased at the ultimate outcome. The Warriors have won three straight, bumping their record to 16-15 ahead of a three-game road trip to Toronto, Brooklyn and Charlotte.
«I like that,» Butler said. «Y’all yell at each other. Turned me on a little bit. I’m not gonna even lie. I like that. I like the confrontation. It’s good for us.»
