Draymond Green stayed at the center of the action—only this time, he took the hit instead of delivering it. In the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 109-94 Game 2 loss to the Rockets on Wednesday night, Green collided with Houston guard Jalen Green and absorbed a hard foul, flipping his usual role as the enforcer.

With just under eight minutes remaining and the Rockets holding a double-digit lead, Jalen Green collided with Draymond Green as they battled for position. During the exchange, Jalen caught Draymond in the face with an elbow. Officials initially ruled it a personal foul on Jalen, but after reviewing the play, they upgraded it to a flagrant-1.

This is the Rockets' first taste of playoff basketball, and for Jalen Green, it marked just his second postseason appearance. Draymond Green, by contrast, has spent over a decade in these moments. He understands the boundaries, knows exactly what’s permitted, and uses that experience to push buttons—often drawing younger, less seasoned players into fouls like the one Jalen committed.

The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets have dived into a playoff series that echoes the hard-nosed battles of the 90s. Game 1 delivered just 180 total points, with the Warriors grinding out a 95-point effort to secure the win. Both teams continue to push the pace with intense, physical defense. Jimmy Butler has already suffered an injury, and emotions are running high as this classic-style rivalry intensifies.

The Houston Rockets equalizing with the Golden State Warriors

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Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) and guard Moses Moody (4) and Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) battle for a loose ball during the first quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center.
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The Rockets evened the series at 1-1 with a crucial win, and Jalen Green led the charge. After a rough showing in Game 1 where he went just 3-for-15 from the field, he bounced back with 38 points in a massive performance that marked his true playoff breakout. The scuffle with Draymond was part of the storyline, but in a game the Rockets controlled by double digits, it didn’t alter the outcome. Still, with the series heading to San Francisco, the challenges for Houston are only going to intensify.

The Rockets can’t afford to let Draymond Green get under their skin—especially with Dillon Brooks, another key player, carrying his own history of clashes with the Warriors veteran. This series is shaping up to be physical and defense-driven, but Houston needs to stay composed. Giving Golden State extra chances through technicals or unnecessary fouls could swing momentum in a series where every edge matters.

Game 2 carried major weight for the Rockets, and they responded with noticeably sharper focus and energy on both ends of the floor.

If Houston had dropped Game 2, Golden State would’ve taken a 2-0 series lead with the next two matchups shifting to their home floor. In that situation, the Rockets would have faced must-win pressure on the road in Game 3 or Game 4 just to extend the series, and would have needed to win both to reclaim home-court advantage before a potential Game 5 back in Houston.