In Orlando, he earned his first ejection since returning from his indefinite suspension — drama that led to a visibly exasperated Steph Curry. He took ownership for the outburst on his podcast. He helped shut down Bam Adebayo in Miami and anchored an improved defense that led to a three-game win streak.

Then against San Antonio Sunday, Green played a vintage third-quarter stretch that swung the game. The Warriors won the third by 16, evaporating a slow start. Green was in the thick of it, carrying the Warriors on both ends.

Green hit the game-sealing free throw with 3.9 seconds, finishing with 21 points, 11 assists and a season-high six steals in the Warriors’ 117-113 victory.

Curry added his 27th 30-point game of the season to push Golden State (40-34) past the finish line.

“Draymond was incredible tonight. That was a defensive masterpiece,” Steve Kerr told reporters postgame.

Golden State’s win caps a 4-1 road trip, with victories over the Spurs, Magic, Heat and Hornets. Their only loss came in a tight defeat to the contending Timberwolves. As the Rockets continue surging, the Warriors’ four-game winning streak is staving them off as Houston is two games behind Golden State for the 10th and final play-in spot.

In their three-game winning streak, the Warriors had been jumping out ahead of their opponents early. They held the Magic to 11 points in the first quarter (on 3-for-22 shooting) and the Hornets to 17. But in San Antonio, the Spurs struck first.

A massive 17-2 run pushed the Spurs ahead by 13 in the first. The Warriors fumbled away five turnovers, several of which were unforced, and were a step slow in transition.

The period was a stark contrast to how Golden State had defended this week, when they committed to getting back on defense and benefitted from some shooting luck. Kerr, fed up with his team’s start and a missed call, picked up a technical foul for berating an official on the court.

Golden State recovered from their slow start, but still struggled to get prolonged stops.

Part of that could’ve been because they were missing Jonathan Kuminga for a third straight game. Kuminga — who warmed up but couldn’t go in San Antonio — was ruled out with bilateral knee tendinitis.

Without Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins has stepped up as a scorer. But he and Klay Thompson were cold against San Antonio, leaving a void.

Green, of all people, filled it. In a 14-0 run to start the third quarter, Green scored two buckets plus a 3-pointer. The Warriors held San Antonio to a five-minute scoring drought — finally, the level of defense they needed — to take their first lead since the opening minutes.

As much of a force as Victor Wembanyama (32 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals) is defensively, Green often out-thought the 20-year-old. He used interior touch passes and Curry’s gravity to take attention away from him and create lanes to score inside.

Green also generated two steals in quick succession, leading to fast break buckets for Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton II. The eight-time All-Defensive player took over the game. For Golden State’s best defensive stretches, they played Green at center without Trayce Jackson-Davis, who started alongside him.

Green, who hasn’t averaged double-digits scoring in a season since 2017-18, scored 11 of his 21 points in the game-changing third. The Warriors won the period 37-21, turning an eight-point deficit into an eight-point lead. Wembanyama dunked on Jackson-Davis — revenge for the Warriors rookie’s earlier poster — and threatened to take over the fourth. He scored San Antonio’s first nine points, bringing the Spurs within four.

But Green and Curry returned from their scheduled rest and shut the Spurs down. Green poked away an outlet pass for his fifth steal and connected with Curry on a backdoor cut for his ninth assist. Curry sank a step-back 3 over Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Green finished over Wembanyama and then notched his sixth steal. The Spurs kept hitting 3s and went on a 9-0 run as Golden State committed a string of crunch-time turnovers, coming within two with a minute left.

In danger of a brutal collapse, Green came up with an offensive rebound and kicked out for a  Thompson 3. Then, with five seconds left, Green’s effort on the offensive glass drew a Wembanyama foul that secured the win for Golden State — adding to their 22-15 record away from Chase Center.

“To be on the road for eight days and do what we just did, that’s a sign of a really good team,” Kerr said.

Golden State’s three-game win streak has come with opposing point totals of 92, 93, and 97. The last time their defense limited three straight teams below the century mark was the 2021-22 season, when they won the championship.

“We’re talking a little bit more,” Chris Paul said after Golden State’s win in Charlotte. “Starting to get in the right spots. I think we’re showing what we’re capable of when we defend.”

Over the last three games, Golden State ranks second in the league in defensive rating (100.3). But the Warriors probably didn’t suddenly just snap into championship-level defense. Golden State has made some strides over the small sample, but has also benefited from a soft pocket in its schedule and shooting luck.

To see what’s real and what’s not with how the Warriors are clicking defensively, look under the hood.

Take, for instance, the teams Golden State handled. The Heat were not only missing their top two scorers in Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, but were also missing Kevin Love, Josh Richardson, and Duncan Robinson. They had 74.6 points per game sidelined.

Against the Warriors, the Heat shot just 24.2% from 3. Terry Rozier and Jaime Jacquez Jr., shooting 32% and 31% from 3, respectively, went a combined 2-for-10 from 3. Miami just didn’t have enough shooting.

Then the Warriors shocked Orlando without Jonathan Kuminga and with Draymond Green getting ejected 3:36 into the game. The Warriors are certainly not a better defensive team without Green and Kuminga — arguably their best athlete — but nonetheless locked up the Magic.

Golden State’s defensive performance that game had just as much to do with Orlando simply going ice cold, though. The Magic, who rank 23rd in offensive rating this season, generated better shots than the Warriors but shot only 42.4% overall.

For much of the year, it has seemed like the Warriors have been unlucky with their opponents’ shooting. Bit players like Santi Aldama, Isaiah Joe and Harrison Barnes have lit them up.

But against the Magic, the Warriors got lucky from Orlando missing open shots. Per PBP Stats, Orlando’s 48.2% effective field goal percentage was well below the 54% they were expected to register based on a shot quality model that accounts for play-by-play data.

Orlando misses lightly contested layups and practice-gym 3s. The Magic is far from an offensive juggernaut, and had a rough night even by its standards.

Teams have come out of the gates especially cold against the Warriors this week. One game after Magic shot 3-for-22 in the first quarter, Charlotte opened 6-for-19.

The Hornets also shot worse than the PBP stats model predicted it would, with a 47.6% effective field goal percentage compared to their .52 shot quality score.

The Warriors had Green back for that game, though, and there were glimpses of true progress defensively. Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis started together and shared the court for over 20 minutes. In minutes the two centers logged together, the Warriors recorded five blocks and five steals.

In 117 minutes together this year, the Green-and-Jackson-Davis pairing has registered a 98.4 defensive rating — the best for any regular Warriors duo. For reference, Minnesota leads the league with a 108.1 defensive rating.

“Being able to be beside him and take the load off of him a little bit, I feel like we interchange pretty well,” Jackson-Davis said.

If the Warriors can surround the two bigs with enough shooting to regularly score, the big combination has a real chance to be a sustainable force. In a season destined for the play-in, that’s a significant development.

“I like the Draymond-Trayce combination,” Steve Kerr said. “Having Trayce as a shot-blocker, he had three of them tonight, with Draymond kind of playing middle linebacker back there. That’s a good combination. It’s a different look for us, but it’s been effective.”

That lineup duo isn’t the only tangible sign of progress from this week. Kerr praised Andrew Wiggins for his on-ball intensity, and increased minutes from the always-active Gary Payton II has helped. It’s not just a soft pocket of the schedule and shooting luck.

The Warriors also limited the Heat, Hornets and Magic to 10 or fewer points in transition. After a brutal loss to Indiana last week in which the Pacers ran the Warriors out of their own gym, hustling back in transition has been a major point of emphasis.

Kerr has been preaching how important every player’s first three steps are when a possession changes. The Warriors need to sprint back through the middle and then fan out to shooters. Communicating is crucial to avoid confusion in cross-matches.

The Warriors are a quiet team, which has often been the root of defensive breakdowns. Getting Kevon Looney back into the fold — along with Green — should help on that front.

If the Warriors can continue the defensive production they displayed this week, the surging Houston Rockets would be much less of a concern. Golden State has the sixth easiest remaining schedule, but a slew of difficult opponents await after Sunday’s matchup in San Antonio to finish a five-game road trip.

After the Spurs game, the Warriors are set to play the Mavericks twice and the Rockets. That — not the depleted Heat, offensively challenged Magic, and lowly Hornets — will be the test.

Around the corner on the Spectrum Center baseline, an 11-year-old held up a sign that read “My dad bet me $500 that I could get Steph Curry’s autograph.” He might’ve been jealous of the courtside fan, but simply seeing his favorite player ever in person curtailed any ire.

When Curry returned to Golden State’s locker room, Curry jerseys draped over the tunnel railings. Here, more than anywhere besides the Chase Center, is the Church of Curry.

Fans travel far and wide to see Curry play every game. In fact, a mom and daughter from Switzerland and China flew in to see Friday’s Warriors-Hornets game. But Charlotte always has a different energy.

The Spectrum Center, one of the quietest arenas in the league, got the most rowdy on Friday night whenever Curry scored or checked into the game. The crowd erupted when he sank a buzzer-beating 3 to end the first half. Curry, more than any Hornet in years, is Charlotte’s star.

“He’s GOATED,” said Banks Williams, the 11-year-old holding the soliciting sign.

For a franchise that will have missed the playoffs for eight straight seasons, any semblance of hope that Curry, maybe, one day, could possibly don a Hornets jersey is blind faith. But there are believers nonetheless.

“That’d be a big deal,” said Hunter Williams, Banks’ dad. “(My kids) play all the AAU basketball, and they try and practice, and they hope to be like (Curry) one of these days.”

It’s true. Hunter’s two kids, Banks and Buddy-Dawson, said they want to shoot like Curry, be in the NBA like Curry, have a shoe line like Curry, and be as popular as Curry. When Hunter gave his kids tickets to this late-March Warriors-Hornets game for Christmas, Banks cried tears of joy.

“I wish he would play for the Hornets, because then we’d see him a lot more,” Banks said. “If I could, I would buy every ticket.”

Mo Lawless also got his son, JP, tickets to the Warriors-Hornets game for Christmas. They drove 315 miles from West Virginia for JP’s first-ever NBA game — one in which Curry dropped 23 points in a Warriors blowout.

Demetrius Henderson and his son, Landon, also went to their first NBA game together because Curry was in town. The 7-year-old Landon could only laugh and nod when asked what it’d be like if Curry played for the Hornets one day.

Curry grew up in Charlotte, wearing purple and teal since he was a toddler. He’d shoot on the Charlotte Coliseum court with his dad, Hornets guard Dell, before games and hang around the team. Dell and teammates like Muggsy Bogues and Rex Chapman would take care of him and drive him around, not knowing the best player in the car was strapped in a booster seat.

Now, when he comes home, he plays in front of his dad, a television analyst for the Hornets, and against his brother, Seth (who missed Friday’s game with an ankle sprain).

“I enjoy the experience of knowing there’s a huge Curry presence in the Hornets organization, and obviously tonight I get to join the party,” Curry said.

The connections make it easy for fans to fantasize. Curry was naturally asked multiple questions in his postgame press conference about what it’s like to play back home. He looks forward to playing in Charlotte —  in front of familiar faces, with a crowd that can energize him.

“Knowing at this stage, you can probably count on one hand how many more times I get to come back,” Curry said. “It’s definitely fun.”

There’s an innate connection with the fans in Charlotte. The Williams family has followed Curry since his Davidson days. Cece, the fan living in Switzerland, spent hours creating a poster with Curry photo collages.

Steph Curry fans taking over in Charlotte pic.twitter.com/DakUQMN22r

— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) March 29, 2024

Isaiah Carrol, 8, and his mom, Summer, drove down from Greensboro to see Curry play. Isaiah’s a Hornets fan, unless Curry and the Warriors are playing them.

Isaiah and his relatives collaborated to make a poster, one side of which read: “Steph Can Do All Things,” with the bible verse Philippians 4:13 noted underneath. Since he was in college, Curry has been known to write a variation of that verse — I can do all things through him who strengthens me — on his sneakers as it motivates him to achieve greatness.

The message is one Summer wants to instill in her son, too. Summer thinks that by acknowledging the bible verse, Curry is setting a virtuous example for Summer’s son.

“Because all things, just like Steph, all things lead to Christ,” Summer said.

Curry is only scheduled to come home to Charlotte once per year. That would obviously change if he one day decided to sign with the Hornets. Unfortunately for the locals, Curry has never indicated that a homecoming would be anything more than a pipe dream.

“You have thoughts all the time, but nah, I want to stay in the Bay and that’s something that I’ve talked about,” Curry said when asked if he’d want to play for the Hornets.

“There is a curiosity of what it would be like to play here, for sure,” he added. “I feel like I ask Seth a lot of questions about what it’s like to be back here, because you’re so familiar with the city, with the history of the organization. I’m sure he’s getting calls for tickets every single night, that’s probably that’s a little overwhelming. But that’s it.”

So the Carrols and other Curry fans will just have to pray.

In his hometown, Steph Curry tallied 23 points and four assists. He and the Warriors turned the game into a layup line, outscoring the Hornets 64 to 38 in the paint.

For their third straight win, Golden State beat Charlotte, 115-97. The Warriors (39-34) are now 3-1 on their current road trip, with a pair of wins in Florida, Friday night’s blowout, and one more matchup awaiting in San Antonio. They’ve been better on the road all season, and have now won 13 of their last 16 games away from the Chase Center.

In their last three victories, the Warriors have held their opponent under 100 points.

“We’re talking a little bit more,” Chris Paul said postgame. “Starting to get in the right spots. I think we’re showing what we’re capable of when we defend.”

The Hornets are a team the Warriors are supposed to handle, and they did. To be the team they want to be, they’ll not only have to beat up overmatched opponents but also competitive ones.

Jonathan Kuminga missed his second straight game due to left knee tendinitis. The 21-year-old still felt sore after working in the morning, Steve Kerr said, but the injury doesn’t seem serious long-term.

Then shortly before tipoff, Klay Thompson was also ruled out with right knee tendinitis. Down two of their top three scorers, Golden State started Chris Paul, Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Trayce Jackson-Davis.

They had less shooting without Thompson. They had less athleticism without Kuminga. But even with the talent leveling off, the Warriors were still by far the better team. They were favored by 12.5 points.

Moses Moody chipped in 15 points with an increased role, and Jackson-Davis (18 points, eight rebounds, three blocks) continued to make an impact in the frontcourt. Andrew Wiggins poured in 20 for his second straight assertive performance.

Golden State constantly created open looks with high pick-and-rolls, either at the rim or in the corners. Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney, frequent beneficiaries of the action, each scored six in the first quarter.

Charlotte star LaMelo Ball had already been ruled out for the year in the franchise’s eighth straight lottery season. Especially without Ball, the Hornets provided little resistance.

The Hornets didn’t push the pace in transition or pressure the ball defensively, looked to be running their half-court offense in slow motion, and often settled for jump shots. At one point, Curry spun the ball behind his back before shuffle-passing to Draymond Green — just because he could.

But Curry’s buzzer-beating 3 only sent the Warriors into the halftime locker room with a five-point lead. Brandon Miller started to get going at the end of the half, and Golden State appeared to play down to Charlotte’s ability at times.

In the third, Golden State shut off the faucet. Green blocked a shot to give Jackson-Davis a layup on the other end, capping a 9-0 run. At that point, the Warriors allowed just nine points in six minutes.

Green, in his first game since his fourth ejection of the season, got into a chippy moment with Grant Williams but didn’t get into any trouble.

“It’s important, we need him,” Curry said. “I said it last game, for us to try to finish the season strong, give ourselves the best shot not only in the standings, but the way we’re playing and the energy we’re building up — we just want an opportunity. And he’s a huge part of that. So, we need him on the floor.”

Even after a miniature Hornets flurry, the Warriors built their lead up to 18. The Warriors only piled more on in a fourth that felt bereft of any stakes.

But for the Warriors, every game has playoff implications — even against the lowly Hornets. Taking care of them counts just the same in the win column.

“Just can’t do it,” Green said on his show. “Regardless of what was said — I’m not going to get into what was said, because that’s irrelevant. To Steph’s point, I have to be on the floor. Whatever that means, you just have to do that. I’m not overreacting to this because of everything that happened in the beginning of the season. I feel like since I’ve returned, everything’s heading in the right direction. Hit a little bump in the road, get over it and keep going.”

Despite losing Green and already missing Jonathan Kuminga due to knee tendinitis, the Warriors rallied to a 101-93 victory. Andrew Wiggins stepped up to deliver 13 points in the fourth quarter and several complementary players — Trayce Jackson-Davis, Gary Payton II, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody — elevated their games.

Green was arguing with Ray Acosta after a foul call that gave Palo Banchero an and-1. Green wasn’t whistled for the foul and wasn’t directly involved in the play, but berated Acosta in what the crew chief later termed a “long diatribe” that included “egregious profane language.”

When Green was thrown out of the game, Steph Curry keeled over in exasperation. At his locker postgame, the superstar point guard reiterated the need for Green to keep his composure and stay on the court.

“It just can’t happen,” Green echoed. “I said what I said, I deserved to get kicked out at that point. If I’m all the way honest with y’all, I was trying to turn my body, angle toward the bench, and I said what I said a little too soon before angling my body to the bench. It just can’t happen. We need to win games. Like I said: not going to overreact. Like ‘aw, man.’ Stuff as never as good as it seems, it’s never as bad as it seems. I know where I am, I understand what I’m doing moving forward and my position. Just making sure that that’s the exception, and not the rule.”

Green’s Wednesday ejection was his first since returning from his indefinite suspension in mid-January. His erratic on-court behavior — including putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock and striking Jusuf Nurkic — has cost him 21 full games in a season in which Golden State is fighting for the 10th seed. He leads the league with four total ejections.

The sentiment of needing to move on is something Green shares with Curry and his teammates. It’s really the only option available; Green is too valuable — he needs to do whatever he can to avoid putting himself in positions that risk his availability.

“That’s what we expect from him,” Curry said. “Like I said, we need him out there. Whatever needs to happen for him to be in a space where he can be productive and be in the right mind for us on the court, that’s what has to happen.”

Green recorded his podcast during the Warriors’ off day in Charlotte. Golden State visits the Hornets on Friday night for the fourth game of a five-city trip.

After Draymond Green got assessed two technical fouls in rapid succession to get ejected Wednesday night, Curry keeled over. The Warriors were already without Jonathan Kuminga for a massive road matchup against the Orlando, now Green was gone too? Less than four minutes into the game, an exasperated Curry hid his red face in the neck of his jersey.

Curry, once again, lost the defensive yin to his yang. Green, for the fourth time this year and for the umpteenth time of this dynasty, lost his cool in such a manner that removed him from the court. Green is so crucial to the Warriors, any time he puts his availability at risk is a major hit to Golden State’s chances. They’ve had this discussion. They’ve had it so many times.

“We need him,” Curry said after an improbable 101-93 win in Orlando. “He knows that. We all know that. So whatever it takes to keep him on the floor, to be available, that’s what’s got to happen. Especially at this point of the year. Tough way to start the game, but I am extremely proud of every single person that stepped on the floor tonight and responded the way that they did.”

The NBA’s most loyal, unselfish superstar of his generation isn’t going to rip a teammate publicly, no matter how many times he messes up. And Curry loves Green. They’re bonded by 12 years of battles on the front lines together. They’ve won four championships together. And Green’s ability as a defensive savant has made him worth the headaches he induces.

But it was clear Green’s latest ejection struck a nerve. That the Warriors were able to rally their way to a stunning victory over the Magic without Green — and Kuminga — undoubtedly lightened the Warriors’ postgame mood.

“It was a beautiful team effort to respond the way we did and get this win,” Curry said. “We went and took it. That’s a big sign for us, a sign of growth, to be able to respond that way.”

Still, Curry’s emotions ran high — and rightfully so. Every game has serious playoff implications for the Warriors as Houston has won 10 straight and remains on their heels for the last play-in spot.

Steph’s reaction to Draymond’s ejection pic.twitter.com/5TH5DYC9w1

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 27, 2024

“We know how important this part of the season is, and our ability to get into a rhythm and secure a play-in opportunity, give ourselves a shot,” Curry said. “You don’t want to have self-inflicted wounds when it comes to that. We all care, we all are passionate about the game and our chances to have something to play for down the stretch. So, give everything you’ve got to this game, and that’s the emotion.”

The details of Green’s self-inflicted wound in the Kia Center were simple. According to crew chief Mitchell Ervin, “after a long diatribe, Green directed egregious profane language towards a game official.” His past history was “absolutely not” a factor in the decision to whistle him for back-to-back technicals with 8:24 left in the first quarter.

Green’s league-leading fourth ejection of the season was “deserved,” Steve Kerr said. Just days ago, the head coach praised Green’s ability to balance his competitive fire with composure; Wednesday was his first ejection since returning from his indefinite suspension. His actions against the Magic don’t erode Kerr’s confidence in Green going forward, the coach said.

But it was a reminder that as Green tiptoes the line, any gust of wind could still push him over the edge. Green has certainly shown improvements in self-control since returning, but his midseason sabbatical didn’t change his DNA. He’s still a fiery competitor with a temper streak. That’s who he is, and that’s not going to change.

Green is still indispensable – in part because of that fire. The Warriors have no choice but to take his latest outburst and move on.

“That’s what we expect from him,” Curry said. “Like I said, we need him out there. Whatever needs to happen for him to be in a space where he can be productive and be in the right mind for us on the court, that’s what has to happen.”

But Curry and the Warriors recovered from the early, Green-imposed drama. In fact, they never trailed after Green headed to the locker room.

In a tight fourth quarter, Andrew Wiggins dropped 13 points and Curry (17 points, 10 rebounds) celebrated a step-back 3 that clinched a 101-93 victory. On the second night of a back-to-back, when everything could’ve gone south, the Warriors (38-34) pulled out a win over the contending Magic.

“It was a gutsy effort in tough circumstances,” Steve Kerr said after Golden State’s win.

With 8:24 in the first quarter, Green earned his fourth ejection of the season — and his first since returning from his indefinite suspension. Kerr said that Green “deserved” the ejection, and that he’s confident he’ll bounce back. The coach recently praised Green for balancing competitiveness and composure, and said Wednesday night’s behavior doesn’t change that.

The Warriors were already short-handed even before losing Green, as Jonathan Kuminga was unavailable due to tendinitis in his left knee — an ailment Kerr considers minor. It was only the second game missed from Kuminga, who has emerged as the closest thing the Warriors have to a dependable secondary scorer next to Steph Curry. Kuminga has averaged 16.3 points per game and cracked double-digit points in 49 of his past 51 games.

Yet without both Kuminga and Green, the Warriors somehow wrestled Orlando into an extended submission. Immediately after Green jogged to the locker room, Golden State went on a 21-2 run. Paolo Banchero’s and-1 — the play Green lost his composure at with 8:24 left — was Orlando’s last made field goal of the opening quarter.

Orlando’s clanks added up to a 3-for-22 shooting start. Golden State held Orlando to 11 points in the first quarter, their second best defensive frame of the year.

Much of their success was simply Orlando missing clean looks. But the Warriors were bringing a physicality that appeared to give the Magic issues. Gary Payton II, in particular, flew around the court like a wrecking ball.

“We had to lock in, get his back, go out there and play with the energy he’d have,” Payton said.

Orlando’s offense looked stagnant, with too many isolations and midrange jumpers. On one possession, Anthony Black bricked a layup and Mo Wagner airballed a fadeaway jumper in the paint. Golden State didn’t make major adjustments, just committed to communicating, gang rebounding and playing tough on-ball defense.

One night after holding Miami to 37 points in the second half, the Warriors limited the Magic to 37 in the first half. Miami shot 30.4% from the field. Not a single player on either team cracked double-digits in the first 24 minutes.

For the Warriors, it was a strong half that ended on a low note; nobody ran back on defense as Banchero leaked out for a wide-open dunk in the waning seconds.

But the Warriors didn’t let that sour note bleed into the second half. Curry found a slice of rhythm in the third and Trayce Jackson-Davis put pressure on each rim.

Jackson-Davis, his fellow rookie Brandin Podziemski, and the always-ready Moses Moody came up big. A Moody offensive rebound in traffic led to a Klay Thompson second chance 3. To end the third quarter, Jackson-Davis stuffed Cole Anthony at the rim. He and Podziemski combined for 23 rebounds.

Both teams shot under 30% from 3 as the Warriors entered the fourth with a 72-66 edge. Then, suddenly, the low-scoring slugfest’s dam broke.

Wiggins scored eight straight points for the Warriors, going back-and-forth with Magic guard Cole Anthony. Wiggins aggressively got downhill to answer a Franz Wagner whirling finish, then Moody followed up a miss for a putback slam.

Green had long been in the locker room, but the Warriors were playing with his fire. They sandwiched a Banchero 3 with a Thompson triple and Wiggins and-1.

The Magic cut Golden State’s lead to one late, but buckets inside from Payton II and Curry provided a late cushion. Then Curry drilled a dagger, step-back 3.

In the far left corner, Curry gestured his patented “night-night” celebration. He hasn’t been able to break it out much recently, if at all. When he got back to the Warriors’ bench, he kicked a chair in his heightened state of emotion.

But on a night that nearly went off the rails in the beginning, Curry put the Warriors on his back, and on track.

“That’s what the great ones do,” Payton said of Curry. “He turned it on.”

Green hadn’t been ejected from a game since he returned from his indefinite suspension for reckless on-court behavior. Just days ago, Steve Kerr praised the veteran big man for his composure and leadership.

“He’s walked the line perfectly,” Kerr said on March 24. “Gotten a couple techs for yelling at the refs, but he has not crossed that line, nor do I expect him to. I hate that that happened to Rudy (Gobert) and to (Jusuf) Nurkic. I hate that that happened to Jordan. I’ve said this many times, I hate that all that happened. But I couldn’t be more proud with the way Draymond has responded, and he’s gotten his career and his life back on track. It’s wonderful.”

Green’s ejection came with 8:24 left in the first quarter. His ninth and 10th technicals of the year amounted to his fourth ejection. The most significant ones came when he put Gobert in a choke hold — earning a five-game suspension — and soon after struck Nurkic. Kerr said that after the latter incident, he thought Green’s “career was on the line.”

Draymond picked up two technicals and was ejected after having words with the ref pic.twitter.com/tn2muDIXGo

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 27, 2024

The Warriors were already undermanned in Orlando, as Jonathan Kuminga was ruled out with left knee tendinitis. Losing Green so early only made things tougher against a Magic team contending for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

It’s easy to understand why Harrison resonates with so many Giants fans. He was born at San Jose’s Kaiser Santa Teresa, starred at Concord’s vaunted De La Salle High, grew up going to A’s and Giants games and spurned UCLA for the Giants, who drafted him in 2020.

He has the chance to write his own story as local kid turned franchise face.

“When you’re able to see them kind of work their way up through the ranks in the minors, you kind of feel like you were on that journey with them a little bit,” said Spillar, who followed some of Harrison’s journey from the San Jose Giants press box, where he works part-time.

Kan added, “That’s why those World Series years were special, because that core group of guys were homegrown players. We’re hoping for the new homegrown guys.”

The Giants and their fans know the franchise needs a wave of drafted and developed players to take lead roles to become a consistent winner again. That starts with Harrison, the top left-handed pitching prospect in baseball.

“I don’t want to put unrealistic expectations on him, but I think we all as a group have some expectations for him,” ace Logan Webb said. “I know he does…There’s a lot of people that feel that way, including MLB.com and all those things putting him as the No. 1 prospect. I give him a little crap for that. But I’m excited. He’s excited. I keep saying it, but the sky’s the limit for him.”

One of the big questions the Giants must answer heading into the 2024 season is how real – and how ready – Harrison is.

Harrison will open the season in a Giants rotation that also includes Webb, Blake Snell, Jordan Hicks and Keaton Winn. Veterans Alex Cobb and Robbie Ray are expected to come off the injured list later in the season.

Much has changed since Harrison made his debut with the Giants last season – a seven-start audition that saw him log a 4.15 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 34 ⅔ innings.

Bob Melvin replaced his first MLB manager, Gabe Kapler; his first MLB pitching coach, Andrew Bailey, left for Boston, and Brian Bannister, whom he worked closely with, took a job with the White Sox after serving as the Giants’ director of pitching.

“You know, coming up as a young guy, not knowing much, having changes – it’s out of your control,” Harrison said. “Can’t really think about it too much.”

A hamstring injury delayed his debut last year, and Harrison spent the offseason getting stronger in anticipation of a larger role in 2024.

Webb, who has taken Harrison under his wing like Kevin Gausman did him, paid for Harrison’s first month at PUSH Performance, a baseball-focused training facility in Arizona.

The results were encouraging. Harrison was able to hit 97 mph on the radar gun — three ticks faster than his average velocity — before even ramping up to maximum effort.

“The reason why he’s throwing a little more efficiently, with less effort, is changing his movement capacity and the way he’s training,” PUSH owner DJ Edwards said.

Harrison will need to do more than just throw harder. He’s been blowing fastballs past batters since high school. At the Major League level, hitters have no trouble catching up to him, especially when he doesn’t have a full arsenal of offspeed pitches to keep them off-balance.

One time last season in which Harrison didn’t have full confidence in his pitches was his third start, on Sept. 9 in San Diego. Sixty-one of his 91 pitches were fastballs, and he only threw five changeups and four cutters. Kapler left him in for the sixth inning in a display of trust for the rookie, but Harrison ran out of gas. He allowed a three-run homer in the sixth to Garrett Cooper, which was the fourth long ball he gave up in the night.

In the opposite dugout, of course, was Harrison’s new manager. Despite the rookie’s six earned runs, Melvin came away impressed.

“He knows he’s starting with us,” Melvin said on KNBR in late January. “He knows we need him to be a starter. It’s kinda his time now, so I think he’s really excited and motivated by that. The ceiling for this kid is as high as anyone in our organization and probably one of the top left-handed starting pitchers, as far as prospects go, in all of baseball.”

If Harrison can lead the way for a wave of young talent, the direction of the franchise will become clearer. At this point, that’s the Giants’ best chance at regaining prominence. Spillar and Kan and everyone else knows it.

“You look back at the teams in ‘10, ‘12, ‘14, it was built on a group of young players,” Webb said of the Giants’ three World Series winning teams from 2010-14. “They created this nucleus. I think all the guys, they want to create that. These guys are excited and ready to show what they’ve been working on. I think all of them are going to take big steps this year.”

But Thompson, who carries his emotions as openly as anyone in the NBA, didn’t complain. He never looked at the move as a “demotion.” Instead of letting the team’s decision take him out of his game, he doubled down on what has made him a future Hall of Famer.

“I just try to keep the same approach,” Thompson said Tuesday after Golden State’s 113-92 win in Miami. “Have fun, communicate, take great looks. Those three things.”

Steve Kerr inserted Thompson back into the starting lineup against the Heat for more spacing against a Miami team that likes to play a variety of zone defenses. Back in the familiar role, going through pregame introductions and playing next to Steph Curry from the tip-off, Thompson dropped a game-high 28 points and hit six of 14 shots from behind the arc.

“It’s a credit to him, just in general, being able to respond to whatever he’s been asked to do this year,” Curry said. “Whether it’s coming off the bench or starting. Most people think, maybe they think it’s easy to transition from one to the other. It’s not. You have to prepare your mind and your body to be ready for whatever’s thrown at you. So it’s a credit to him, his attitude and preparation.”

Coming off the bench or starting, Thompson has been a reliable tertiary scorer for Golden State. He’s no longer prone to absolute bonanza scoring nights, but is still capable of giving the Warriors 30 on a given night. He still scares defenses into scrambling to him off the catch. He’s still a frequent option for Kerr in out-of-timeout set plays.

Kerr made the concerted decision to bring Thompson off the bench right before the All-Star break in order to give the five-time All-Star time to process and decompress the sudden change. Before that Feb. 15 game, he’d started every game since his rookie year — a span of 808 consecutive games. He reportedly didn’t take the news well and has had to grapple with his basketball mortality, but didn’t grumble publicly.

In his first game off the bench, Thompson poured in 35 points against Utah, which remains his season-high. If there were concerns about how he’d handle the role change, that performance was as encouraging a sign as possible.

More often, Thompson was the focal point of Golden State’s unit. He spaced the floor for Chris Paul and Trayce Jackson-Davis to run high pick-and-rolls. The Warriors ran actions for him. Meanwhile, rookie Brandin Podziemski helped connect the starting unit with his quick decision-making and team defense.

Thompson still played starter-level minutes and closed most tight games. Podziemski — along with Draymond Green playing center almost exclusively — set Golden State’s rotation into place. It was a win-win.

The return to the starting lineup might not be permanent. At the very least, the Warriors have the choice of bringing Thompson off the bench if a certain matchup dictates it. That’s a tool Golden State hasn’t had until this year.

In March, Thompson is averaging 18.7 points per game and has hit 50 3-pointers while shooting 40.9% from deep. He has started five of the 13 games. He’s in rhythm and said he feels “really good.” He has broken out the shoulder shimmy on a couple of made 3-pointers over the past week, including Tuesday night.

Thompson trails only Curry and Luka Doncic leaguewide for games with at least six made 3-pointers (10).

Curry thinks there’s no other player of Thompson’s stature who could have handled the fluid role as smoothly as the four-time champion shooting guard has. He refused to let it become a distraction. He prevented the situation from going sideways.

“He’s given us a huge boost in whatever role he’s played,” Curry said. “It’s a challenge. It could’ve gone the other way in the sense of resisting the evolution of what he’s been asked to do this year. He’s responded extremely well. We need that energy, because he gives us so much on that front, like he did tonight.”

No matter how far the Warriors go this season, they’ll have to make a decision on Thompson, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Steph Curry is under contract through 2025-26. Kerr’s deal was extended to align with that. Same with Draymond Green, whose extension includes a player option for 2026-27.

Those three and Thompson are the four constants through the Warriors’ dynasty. Thompson, who reportedly rejected a two-year extension, has expressed a desire to retire with the only organization he’s played for.

There will be questions about the Warriors’ luxury tax bill, Thompson’s value and how much loyalty a team should exercise with a star who has helped build a dynasty.

The way Thompson has navigated this season should answer at least some of them.