Green left his mark in return to action
Warriors often enter higher realm when versatile forward arrives
Jordan Poole’s resounding dunk offered the enduring image Monday night, a splashy punctuation to his 32-point outburst off the bench, but that late fourthquarter sequence started with a Draymond Green blocked shot.
Yep, he’s back.
Green, befitting his persona — brash, fearless, defiant — swatted a potential layup (or dunk) by Omer Yurtseven, Miami’s 6-foot-11 rookie center. Green, who stands 6-6, then flexed and scowled and strutted downcourt, savoring the Chase Center crowd’s spirited ovation, until Poole threw one down and the volume climbed to another level altogether.
That’s fitting, isn’t it? Green seldom counts as the headliner, the leading man, but he remains the engine of these Warriors. They won again Monday night, holding off the Heat 115-108, and they won in part because Green returned from his eight-day stay in the NBA’s health-andsafety protocols.
He hadn’t played since his team’s Christmas Day takedown of Phoenix. Green came back and promptly influenced the game in his distinctive way: five points, 13 assists, eight rebounds, four blocks and one steal in 36 minutes. Golden State outscored Miami by 10 when Green was on the court.
The Warriors won Saturday night in Utah without Green. They won Monday night with Stephen Curry scoring a season-low nine points, on 3for-17 shooting from the field (including 1-for-10 beyond the arc). Nearly halfway through the season, they’re proving to be extraordinarily adaptable and resilient.
But make no mistake: They need Green, especially when
he’s playing with this kind of vigor. He takes them into another realm.
“It’s everything with Draymond,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Not just the assists, it’s his toughness and his work on the glass. … His defense is second-to-none in my opinion. He’s just an incredible competitor, and that’s what we miss the most when he’s out: his overall energy and competitiveness.
“So it was great to have that back tonight.”
The Warriors collected 39 assists against Miami, matching their total two nights earlier against Utah. They became the first NBA team to have 39 or more assists in consecutive games since Indiana in April 1994, nearly 28 years ago.
That ethos — move without the ball, good passes lead to good shots — begins with Green and Curry (and Klay Thompson). They long ago established the Warriors would not play like countless other NBA teams, clearing out one side of the court so the star can play one-on-one.
Kerr would not stand for that. Basketball is meant to be a team game.
Another notable element of Green’s return: He logged those 36 minutes with minimal huffing and puffing. Even though he had an uncommon one-week respite from the grind of a long season, Green looked well-conditioned.
That wasn’t coincidence, to hear him tell it. He tried to stay in shape during his isolation. Then, when Green was cleared to return to the court Sunday, he immediately went through a grueling workout designed to simulate what he would encounter in a game.
Green gave credit to David Taylor, the Warriors’ director of player health and performance/research and development.
“You’re always re-energized to get back out there, because it’s fun,” Green said. “My lungs felt great. Our staff for the past two days was incredible — Dave put me through a workout and I felt like I had finished playing a game. That was huge.
“I didn’t step out there feeling like it was my first game in eight days.”
Green offered numerous snapshots of how to shape a game while scoring only five points. He threw a clever bounce pass to a cutting Gary Payton II for a reverse layup. He took a pass in the lane and quickly re-directed the ball to Poole for a 3-point shot from the corner.
Or consider this play: Miami’s P.J. Tucker lined up for what seemed like an open shot in front of his team’s bench. Green closed out swiftly, blocked the shot with his left hand and leaped into the bench unsuccessfully trying to save the ball. The crowd roared.
It’s telling when Green collects 13 assists and that doesn’t seem remarkable. He has posted 10 or more five times this season, including a season-high 14 on Nov. 18 against Cleveland.
“He makes it so much easier,” Payton said. “He’s out there directing, and people respect him. You let him sit there and he’s going to pick you apart. … You can definitely feel his presence when he’s on the court. He makes plays for us defensively, gets the crowd into it and gets us into it.”
Payton’s quote came in response to a clumsily worded question (guilty as charged) about how Green’s presence on the court changes the “vibe” for the Warriors. Payton offered his response, highlighted the blocked shot leading to Poole’s memorable dunk and then paused, as if for dramatic effect.
“So he gives off a hell of a vibe,” Payton said, smiling.