Draymond Green-O.J. Mayo scuffle punctuates Warriors’ win over Bucks

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors improved to 26–1 in a comeback victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night at Oracle Arena.
Draymond Green-O.J. Mayo scuffle punctuates Warriors’ win over Bucks
Draymond Green-O.J. Mayo scuffle punctuates Warriors’ win over Bucks /

Draymond Green and O.J. Mayo met nose-to-nose underneath Golden State’s basket shortly after the final buzzer. Words were shared and a slight scuffle ensued, punctuating the Warriors’ 121–112 tooth-and-nail victory over the Bucks. 

Golden State emerged victorious having overcome an 11-point deficit with 8:53 left to capture its 30th consecutive home victory.  The Warriors indeed exacted revenge for the Bucks snapping their historic season-opening winning streak, although only after Milwaukee nearly completed the upset once again. 

Somehow and some way, the Bucks simply match up well with the reigning NBA Champions. Just days after handing the Warriors that first loss of the season, Milwaukee entered halftime with a 70–58 advantage having quieted a raucous Oracle Arena crowd. The Bucks’ 70 points were the most Milwaukee has scored in the first half all season and the most Golden State has surrendered in an opening half this year.

Facing that late, 11-point hole, Green emerged from an official timeout to erupt for an 8–0 run on his own. His explosion sparked Golden State’s tremendous fourth-quarter offense, as the Warriors outscored Milwaukee 36–19 in the game’s final period to avoid their second loss of the season.

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Stephen Curry scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth as Green finished the final frame with nine of his 21 points. Green also added nine rebounds and eight assists as Curry flirted with a triple double, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing nine dimes. Klay Thompson led all scorers with 27 points.

The Bucks, like a clever Oakland T-shirt company predicted, fell to 10–18.

As for the postgame altercation, both teams had plenty to say.

Green didn’t go into detail about the incident, but said, “No man is going to touch my head,” according to Yahoo! Sports’ Marc Spears.

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Mayo told Spears, “Little love tap. Nothing like [disrespect]. Keep it class. He’s a great player.”

Sadly, these two won’t be playing each other again unless they make the NBA Finals.


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Jake Fischer
JAKE FISCHER

Jake Fischer has covered the NBA for Sports Illustrated since May 2015. He is a graduate of Northeastern University and a "just-outside-of" Philadelphia native.