The last thing that the Golden State Warriors needed was yet another controversy surrounding Draymond Green, but the combative power forward’s ejection against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night has forced his teammates to block out even more noise as the chase for the playoffs reaches a critical juncture.

The Warriors are clinging to the 10-seed in the Western Conference, which would be just enough to get Golden State into the Play-In Tournament. But the red-hot Houston Rockets are breathing down the Warriors’ necks, and it’s not only Green being criticized for his actions as Golden State’s season threatens to unravel at the very end.

Stephen Curry cries after Draymond Green is ejected from Warriors-Magic gameTwitter

Curry under fire

ESPN analyst Jay Williams on Thursday claimed that “high-level people” within the NBA have texted him to question where Stephen Curry‘s leadership has been as the Warriors continue to go through a tumultuous time with Green. Williams said that Green’s antics are affecting even Curry‘s legacy, which is among the best resumes in league history — four championships, two MVP awards, two scoring titles, and the all-time three-point makes record.

As the longtime face of the Warriors franchise, Curry already has a heap of responsibilities as the team’s de facto leader and an all-time great of the game. Curry’s visible distress following Green’s latest ejection showed how deeply it hurts the 36-year-old to see a player with whom he has won four NBA championships slowly backslide into a parody of the star he used to be.

Green’s behavior has worsened at a time when Curry appears to be doing all he can to drag the Warriors back to the postseason. Golden State has a disappointing 38-34 record, and the Rockets are closing in fast — Houston has won 10 consecutive games, and at 37-35, the Dubs‘ former fierce rivals are only one game back with 10 still to play.

Kerr’s forceful response

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr got his chance Friday to respond to the claims made by Williams and others. During an appearance on 95.7 “The Game” in the Bay Area, Kerr said it was “ridiculous” to blame Curry for a perceived failure to “control” Green.

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“He is a grown man,” Kerr said about Green. “He’s got to handle his own business.”

Kerr has earned plaudits over the years for his ability to manage the egos that have passed through the Golden State locker room — players such as Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins, and Andre Iguodala, in addition to Curry and Green. It will be among the former Coach of the Year‘s biggest feats yet if he can find a way to trigger a Golden State surge that doesn’t rely heavily on Green’s unique skillset — the fate of the Warriors’ 2023/24 season could depend on it.