A warrior on the court
Draymond Green elevates game, brings it on both ends for the Warriors
Draymond Green’s remarkable post- season has pushed beyond basketball, featuring Charles Barkley declaring he’d like to punch the emotional Golden State forward, a death threat from a frustrated fan who Green encouraged to get the help he needs, and an attempt by the All- Star to listen in on the Pelicans huddle. Oh, and it just so happens Green also became the first Warriors player to ever average a triple- double in a post- season series.
“He’s just incredibly engaged and locked in. This is the best I’ve seen him play all year,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Draymond has to play hard to do what he does. I think the playoffs have energized him.” Green is at his best on the big stage and playing just on the edge - pushing boundaries by being just physical enough without crossing the line, dishing out just enough trash talk, though others may beg to differ. Just as Barkley did. Green flaps his mouth with the best of them in what many might consider over- the- top gamesmanship, engaging with Rajon Rondo - Green praised his opponent afterward - in what became a testy matchup during the Warriors’ five- game series win against the Pelicans. He tangled with Anthony Davis, too.
Green’s enormous personality prompted TNT analyst Barkley to go off and declare, “I want to punch him in the face, I really do.”
No biggie, Green just fired back.
“He’s seen me a million times. If he feels that strongly about it then punch me in my face when you see me,” Green said. “If you’re not going to punch me in my face when you see me then shut up. It’s no different than somebody sitting behind a computer screen tweeting, ‘ I’ll knock you out,’ and you never see them in life. Well he’s seen me a bunch of times and he’ll see me again this year. Punch me in the face or if not, no one cares what you would have done. You’re old and it is what it is.”
Barkley later apologized and called his comments inappropriate.
Green is in the middle of everything for the defending champion Warriors, and that’s right where they want him as they try for a repeat title. Next up is a date with James Harden, Chris Paul and the topseeded Houston Rockets.
“I live for playoff basketball,” Green said. “It’s the most fun time of the year for me, but just, you know, locking in and focusing.”
Tensions will certainly be high in these long- anticipated Western Conference Finals. Everybody who plays with Green loves him, and those who have to face him rarely enjoy themselves. He’s a menace on both ends, blocking shots, pounding the boards, flying out of bounds to save loose balls, celebrating with a roar or flex of his biceps.
“Like I’ve said to you guys time and time again, he can basically play all the positions on the floor,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “That’s what makes it really difficult to play against them, just the versatility that those guys have.” Against New Orleans, Green averaged 14.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 10.0 assists. The Warriors are 26- 0 overall in games where Green has a tripledouble, 4- 0 in the playoffs.
In the final two games of the first round against San Antonio, he had 18 rebounds then a playoff career- high 19 boards, then another 15 in Game 1 against the Pelicans with a tripledouble. He was one rebound shy of another triple- double in Game 2 and short by one assist in the 113- 104 Game 5 clincher Tuesday night.
“I guess that’s great to be the first person in the history of a franchise to do something, but nonetheless, you don’t get triple- doubles by yourself,” Green said. “You don’t get rebounds by yourself. You need everyone else boxing out on the court. I don’t score points by myself. I’ve got great teammates that find me and give me great shots, and I don’t make the baskets on the pass that I deliver to them.
“So I don’t get fooled into thinking, ‘ Oh, I averaged a triple- double in the series because of me.”’