San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Defense’s anchor has to teach, shoot well
Draymond Green can play tenacious, relentless, gamechanging defense. His teammates know this, their opponents know this, the most casual NBA fans know this.
But can Green transform the Warriors into a tenacious, relentless, gamechanging defensive team? That counts as one of the most relevant, intriguing questions surrounding head coach Steve Kerr’s crew on the brink of this pandemic delayed season.
Green’s newest companions in the starting lineup, Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr., are not exactly known as standout defenders. Rookie center James Wiseman will earn plenty of playing time even if he doesn’t start — and, imposing wingspan and all, he’s only 19 years old.
So the Warriors need Green, beyond his own defensive responsibilities, to become more of a mentor than ever this season, counseling and cajoling with vigor.
“That’s going to be a huge part of his job this year,” Kerr said. “He’s basically like a middle linebacker out there, calling out coverages and getting people in the right position.
“Because of James’ youth, he’s going to have to learn from Draymond every single day. I’m really excited for Draymond to make his mark. He’s been our heart and soul for so long here, kind of our engine, and the guy who brings intensity and energy.”
The Warriors need all the intensity and energy they can muster in the wake of Klay Thompson’s seasonending torn Achilles tendon. Thompson’s absence adds to the burden on Stephen Curry, on both ends of the court, and in many ways it also magnifies Green’s importance.
He turned 30 in March, a week before Golden State’s lost season abruptly ended. Green returns to the fray amid natural questions about his game, after his fieldgoal percentage dropped to 38.9% last season, its lowest point since his rookie season ( and well below his career high of 49% in 201516).
Green’s 3point shooting percentage also fell in each of the past four seasons, a steady decline from his careerhigh mark of 38.8% in ’ 1516 to 27.9% last season.
Still, shooting numbers alone do not convey his impact on a team not far removed from its otherworldly fiveyear run. Green, a slick passer and threetime, firstteam, alldefensive selection ( including one Defensive Player of the Year award), can shape the Warriors’ fortunes in myriad other ways.
“He’s going to be that defensive presence, that monster we expect him to be,” Curry said. “Talk about a guy who knows the conversation around who he is as a player, what the expectations are. I’m sure he’s keeping the receipts, too. It’s just a matter of him being himself, and being the anchor we need him to be every night.”
That role includes prying more out of Wiggins and Oubre, athletic wing players with offensiveminded histories. If the Warriors want to fulfill Kerr’s vision of becoming a top10 defensive team ( they ranked 24th last season in points allowed at 115 per game), they will need Wiggins and Oubre.
Wiggins, who played in 12 games after the Warriors acquired him from Minnesota, quickly learned how Green can “change the whole team’s defense” with his assertive style.
“Anytime I can pick his brain, I’m here to listen,” Wiggins said. “He’s going to let you know if you messed up. That’s what you need. You want a leader who will show you how stuff is done.”
Or, as Warriors forward Eric Paschall said, “Dray knows he can be straightforward with me. He’ll yell at me during a game: ‘ They’re doing this, they’re doing that.’ It’s great to have a guy like that on your team.”
Green insisted he learned from a turbulent 201920 season, in which he was essentially the only core holdover after Curry broke his hand. Green also battled injuries, missing 22 games, and struggled to find his form as the Warriors sputtered to a leagueworst 1550 record. He is doubtful for Tuesday’s opener in Brooklyn with a mild muscle strain in his right foot.
Green’s main leadership lesson: patience.
That made sense once Curry went down and the Warriors made player development their priority. But the equation is different this season, even with Thompson out — Golden State clearly aims to return to the playoffs after last season’s pratfall.
So now Green must find the balance between patience and “letting stuff slide,” as he put it.
“I think it’s a very fine line,” he said. “And we can’t just let stuff slide because we have some younger guys. We’ve still got to push guys and expect them to do their job at the highest level, while understanding … you can kind of help teach them.”
And the teacher, in this case, is perfectly willing to raise his voice.