Warriors can't continue using ejections as motivation

The Clippers stretched their lead to 13 points before Butler led the Warriors on a 9-0 run and Curry made back-to-back three-pointers to get within a point. Golden State was called for four personal fouls to L.A.'s six, but two of them were on Curry, which fouled him out. According to the NBA's Last Two Minute Report, Green got away with a moving screen and two uncalled three-second violations, but Curry's sixth foul was obviously correct.

Draymond Green's ejections seem less intentional

The Warriors have done well after Green has been kicked out of games or otherwise left. He was kicked out of their Dec. 20 win over the Phoenix Suns while the Warriors were down 10 points, and they won by three. One game later, Green took himself out of the game after an argument with Kerr, with the Warriors trailing the Orlando Magic by five points, and the Warriors went on to win, 120-97. In a 123-114 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday, Jan. 3, Green was ejected with the Warriors trailing by 10 points.

Perhaps the ejections fired up the Warriors, or maybe the team is playing better without Green, who had more personal fouls (95) than field goals (92) this season, and nearly as many turnovers (87). But Green is also the team's main enforcer and most emotional player, for better or worse. He's also been called for nine technical fouls, tied for second in the NBA with Luka Doncic, and trailing only Dillon Brooks, who has 12. Receiving 16 technical fouls results in a one-game suspension.

That means Green has to watch himself to avoid a suspension. It also means referees get inured to Green's antics. Maybe that allows him more leeway, but it also makes his legitimate complaints feel like white noise.

All in all, Golden State needs to find a way to get their team focused that doesn't involve ejections. Considering the escalating fines that go along with technicals, they literally and figuratively can't afford it.