In a night charged with playoff intensity, Golden State Warriors secured their third win against Houston Rockets with a 109-106 victory.

But Draymond Green found himself at the heart of the drama, nearly seeing an ejection after a series of heated exchanges and physical play that brought the Chase Center crowd to its feet.

A Fiery Playoff Classic

From the opening tip, Game 4 delivered the kind of high-stakes basketball that defines the playoffs. The Warriors, determined to seize control of the series, faced a Houston squad desperate to keep their season alive. 

However, midway through the second quarter, the contest boiled over. After a hard screen from Draymond Green on Houston’s Amen Thompson, Rockets guard Dillon Brooks retaliated with a hip check on Stephen Curry. 

The sequence set off a chain reaction: Curry taunted Brooks, Brooks tried to wrestle the ball away, and suddenly both benches were on alert. The officials moved quickly, handing out technical fouls to Green, Curry, and Brooks—a clear message that the game was teetering on the edge.

Green’s Flagrant Moment

Moments later, Green was involved in another altercation, this time with Houston’s Tari Eason. Scrambling for a loose ball, Green fell onto Eason, his legs making contact with Eason’s head. 

As players converged, Green briefly grabbed Eason’s collar and appeared to try to lift him by the leg. After a lengthy review, the referees assessed Green a flagrant 1 foul—his second major infraction of the night—but stopped short of issuing a second technical, which would have meant an automatic ejection.

It was a decision that sparked debate both in the arena and across social media. NBA rules separate technical and flagrant fouls, allowing Green to remain in the game despite the escalating tensions. 

Warriors Rally as Stars Shine

Despite trailing by seven at halftime, Golden State emerged from the locker room with renewed focus, launching an 18-1 run to seize control. 

Jimmy Butler, making his return from injury, led the charge with 27 points, with 14 of them in the decisive fourth quarter. Brandin Podziemski added 26, while Curry finished with 17, steadying the Warriors in crunch time.

Houston Rockets, led by Alperen Sengun’s 31 points and Fred VanVleet’s eight three-pointers, refused to go quietly. But missed free throws down the stretch proved costly, and the Warriors’ experience shone through in the closing moments.

With the 109-106 win, the Warriors now hold a commanding 3-1 series lead and are just one victory away from advancing to the Western Conference semifinals. But as Game 4 showed, nothing comes easy in the playoffs.