Stephen Curry Sparks Warriors Comeback Win Over Jazz Amidst Ejection Drama 123-114
It wasn’t just a win; it was a stabilization of the ship for the Warriors. Just 24 hours after suffering a demoralizing 37-point drubbing at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Golden State Warriors walked back onto the Chase Center floor with a point to prove. They weren’t just looking to erase the memory of the previous night; they were looking to reintegrate their engine.
With Stephen Curry returning to the lineup after nursing a sprained ankle, the Warriors looked like a completely different animal, rallying to defeat the Utah Jazz 123-114 on Saturday night. But in typical Golden State fashion, the victory didn’t come without its fair share of theatrical chaos and high-stakes drama centered, once again, around Draymond Green.
Curry Ignites the Third Quarter Surge
For the first half, the game felt uncomfortably close. The Jazz, led by a scorching-hot Lauri Markkanen, refused to go away. But the narrative of the game shifted entirely in the third quarter, a period that has historically belonged to Stephen Curry.
Shaking off any lingering rust from his ankle issue, Curry unleashed a vintage barrage that reminded everyone why he remains the league’s ultimate silencer. He poured in 20 of his 31 points in that quarter alone, hitting six of seven shots. The defining moment came with 7:01 left on the clock when he pulled up for a go-ahead 3-pointer that finally swung the momentum.
It was the kind of sequence that demoralizes opponents. One minute, the Jazz were trading buckets; the next, they were drowning in a sea of noise from the San Francisco crowd. Curry finished the night with six 3-pointers, effectively putting the team on his back when the offense needed a spark.
Draymond Green’s Ejection Tests Warriors’ Composure
While Curry provided the highlights, Draymond Green provided the headache. The emotional heartbeat of the Warriors found himself heading to the locker room early for the second time in his last four home games.
With 2:25 remaining in the second quarter, Green was ejected after picking up consecutive technical fouls for arguing a non-call regarding a defensive three-second violation. It was a familiar, frustrating script for Golden State fans. Green now sits at nine technicals for the season, inching closer to the automatic suspension threshold of 16.
The ejection forced the team to adjust on the fly, a scenario they are becoming all too accustomed to. Jimmy Butler, who returned to the lineup alongside Curry after battling an illness, didn’t mince words regarding Green’s importance to the squad.
“That ain’t the formula,” Butler said postgame, referring to winning without Green. “We need 23 out there. It’s so hard to do what he does, but it’s a collective effort when he’s not out there.”
Despite the frustration, the Warriors managed to rally. They were a +19 in the minutes following Green’s exit, proving their depth, but Butler’s point stands: to make a real run, they need their defensive anchor on the floor, not in the locker room.
Markkanen and George Shine for Resilient Jazz
Credit must be given to the Utah Jazz, who, despite missing Jusuf Nurkic due to a toe injury, played with a grit that belied their 12-22 record. Lauri Markkanen was a nightmare for the Warriors’ defense in the first half, hitting 9 of 12 shots and entering the break with 21 points. He finished with a game-high 35 points, showcasing his ability to score from anywhere on the floor.
Keyonte George also dazzled, putting up 22 points and dishing out nine assists. The Jazz capitalized on sloppy play from Golden State, turning 15 Warriors turnovers into 22 easy points. For large stretches of the night, Utah looked poised to spoil Curry’s return, hanging around until the sheer firepower of Golden State’s stars finally overwhelmed them in the closing frame.
The Big Picture for Golden State
This win pushed the Warriors to 19-17, keeping them in the thick of the Western Conference playoff hunt. Beyond the standings, seeing Curry and Butler (15 points, 7 assists) back on the floor and syncing up was vital for team morale.
Head coach Steve Kerr will have plenty to address in the film room—specifically the turnovers and the recurring discipline issues with Green—but the “W” in the win column is what matters most. After the embarrassment against OKC, the Warriors responded with resilience. They proved that when their stars are aligned, they can punch their way out of a corner, even if they occasionally trip over their own feet getting there.
