Draymond Green’s apology highlights a potential Warriors problem

Draymond Green apologized for his actions that led to the Warriors’ shocking loss Saturday to the Hornets. But in explaining how he was “dead-ass wrong” to pick up two technical fouls in the final seconds of that game, gifting Charlotte a lifeline they subsequently took, Green highlighted a forgotten truth about this Warriors team.

Last week I wrote about how you cannot underestimate this Warriors’ team because they have Green and Steph Curry, two players who know exactly what it takes to win the biggest games. Championship DNA is a real thing — any observant basketball fan knows all about it — and the Warriors’ stars have it in spades.

That’s why no one with the Warriors is too concerned about a February loss in Charlotte, as tough as it might have been.

“He’s a winner,” Kerr said Monday. “If the price to pay is him spilling his emotions over the top sometimes, so be it.”

But Green pointed out Monday that this Warriors team doesn’t have many winners on it.

“Winning an NBA game is not easy and this young team has not had much experience with winning,” Green said. “So to take the game away from my teammates — which they worked so hard for — was a bit frustrating for me. I let them down… I’m much better than that.”

Yes, in highlighting how he was wrong, Green was right. Again. That sure seems to happen a lot.

And he brought up an issue that I admit I overlooked.

The lack of serious playoff experience outside of Curry, Green, and Kevon Looney is jarring when you actually break it down. This could be a real issue for the team come the spring, and it’s one that I, at least, had been overlooking up until Green’s comments Monday.

Now, Green and Curry each have played the equivalent of two regular seasons’ worth of minutes in the playoffs.

Maybe that’s enough championship experience for the Dubs.

Or perhaps the lack of serious, meaningful playoff experience for the rest of the Warriors is something that can torpedo their postseason dreams.

Playoff basketball is a different sport, after all — not everyone is cut out for it.

Here’s what the Warriors have beyond Green and Curry:

— Kevon Looney stands out. He has a ring and has played — and seriously contributed — to some of the best playoff wins in NBA history. But he’s only played 819 playoff minutes in two seasons.

— Kent Bazemore was a starter on some good but annually disappointing Hawks teams. He has 794 playoff minutes played, averaging 6.5 points per game.

— Brad Wanamaker has 290 playoff minutes under his belt.

— Andrew Wiggins even made the playoffs once — the season when the Timberwolves weren’t a complete laughingstock. He has one playoff win to his name.

— Kelly Oubre has 332 minutes of playoff experience, but he hasn’t played in the postseason since 2018 and has only one playoff start. That’s it.

Damion Lee has never played in the postseason, despite being with the Warriors for a few years now.

Mychal Mulder, Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole, and Juan Toscano-Anderson joined the NBA and the Warriors last year, when the Warriors won 15 of 65 games, so they obviously have no playoff experience, either.

That’s a whole lot of wild cards on one roster.

Of course, past performance doesn’t indicate future results — these Warriors might have all the playoff experience they need in the teams’ veteran duo — but Green is right to worry. The more high-pressure moments these young Dubs can experience, the better chance the Warriors will have of winning in the postseason.

And Green just argued one of those away.