Playing with fire
It’s hard to imagine Draymond Green and stability going together. After all, not for nothing has he been suspended twice this season alone for extraneous contact, the last for an indefinite period. Yet, it’s evident that he has been the foundation on which the Warriors hang their hats. If nothing else, their victory against the highly touted Suns yesterday underscored his importance to the cause; as has typically been the case, his contributions went far beyond the robust numbers he put up on the board.
Make no mistake. The Warriors can go only so far as Stephen Curry can take them. While fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson is clearly on the wane, he has remained an offensive machine capable of scoring in bunches with his smooth touch from unlimited range, as well as with his dribble drives off a ridiculous handle. He’s the rare player who has actually improved with advancing age, and to a level beyond his Most Valuable Player years — attributable to his enhanced fitness and greater upper body strength.
All the same, there can be no Curry at peak efficiency without Green. The latter’s court vision, extended wingspan, and willingness to do the dirty work — often literally and figuratively — is precisely why the National Basketball Association’s finest shooter of all time manages to wow even harshest critics. There can be no questioning his effort on defense, his uncanny anticipation and mastery of the opposition’s tendencies propping up his excellent on-ball and help coverage. Yet, he’s arguably more critical at the other end of the court, what with his sterling playmaking and capacity for sacrifice in pursuit of collective objectives.
The Warriors have gone seven and four since Green returned from his ban, and they’re becoming more and more confident with every outing. They own a four-game win streak, which could just as easily have been 10; they lost to the Kings and Lakers by one, and to the Hawks in overtime. In the process, they’ve gone back to sporting an even slate and moved up to 10th in West standings. If there’s one thing they need to cut down on, though, it’s their penchant for playing with fire. They’re simply in too many close calls for comfort.
That the Warriors stood pat at the trade deadline highlights their belief that they have enough to contend for the hardware. Green accounts for much of the cockiness off the floor. The rest of their 2023-24 campaign will show how he can provide the validation on it.