OAKLAND, Calif. _ The tension escalated as soon as Washington guard Bradley Beal put his hands on Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.
Within seconds, Beal went from boxing out Green toward tangling with him altogether. At one point, Beal appeared to punch Green in the face. And after officials separated the two, Green and Beal were issued fighting technicals that resulted in immediate ejections late in the first half of the Warriors' 120-117 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday at the Oracle.
That marked Green's second time he has left the game prematurely. Green missed the entire fourth quarter of the Warriors' season-opening loss to Houston after suffering an injury to his left knee, an ailment that has since healed. This time, the Warriors (4-2) both overcame Green's absence and issues that contributed toward trailing by as many as 18 points.
Several players contributed both familiar and unexpected.
Kevin Durant (31 points), Stephen Curry (20) and Klay Thompson (18) contributed as usual despite shooting a combined 9-of-30 from 3-point range. Warriors reserve forward David West had 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting, while also making a layup that gave the Warriors their first lead of the game at 102-101 with 6:49 remaining.
After fighting diminished playing time to open the season, Warriors reserve forward Kevon Looney had nine points, including two late-game dunks. After being saddled with injuries to his ankle, Warriors reserve Omri Casspi added eight points on 4-of-4 shooting.
Durant made two foul shots to extend the Warriors' lead to 120-117 with 9.4 seconds left. Warriors guard John Wall missed a 3-pointer on the next possession. Off an ensuing inbounds play, Wizards forward Otto Portor Jr. missed his 3-point attempt, a rare instance after finishing with 29 points while shooting 11-of-16 from the field and 7-of-9 from 3-point range.
Most of the attention centered on Green, though.
Replays showed Beal wrapping his hands around Green as the two went up for a rebound before punching him. Officials, coaches and players intervened. During that scuffle, Washington guard Kelly Oubre Jr. punched Thompson, thought the play went unnoticed.
While officials reviewed the play, Green told Warriors coach Steve Kerr that Beal punched him. The scuffle became so heated that Green wound up having his jersey torn. After he was ejected, Beal had a verbal confrontation with a fan near the entrance tunnel.
The anger could be heard with Green's loud voice and his disgusted body language. The subject matter dealt with more important things than basketball.
Green became upset with Houston Texans owner Bob McNair for describing NFL players that protest as "inmates" and explaining why he does not like players have knelt during the national anthem to protest racial inequality. According to an ESPN article, McNair reportedly said in an NFL owners meeting that "we can't have inmates running the prison."
"I don't think it should be up to him to change his behavior. They got a commissioner just like any other league," Green said, referring to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "That's ridiculous."
Green then referenced President Donald Trump's appearance at a rally last month when he used vulgar language to describe some NFL players that protested during the national anthem.
"Will he react to it is the question?" Green said about Goodell. "I wouldn't personally want to play for someone who viewed me as an inmate. I have done nothing in my life to be an inmate. In order to be an inmate, you're either in the hospital or you're in prison. I'm not in the hospital and I'm for damn sure not in prison."
