Warriors want Green to be fiery but also smart

Team wants him to keep his edge but avoid ejections

OAKLAND >> Draymond Green has to do a juggling act of sorts — the Warriors want him to be himself, but they also want him to be on the court.

Green was ejected from Saturday’s win over Memphis after being assessed his league-leading 10th technical foul. Tuesday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year has a tall task in figuring out when to excite the team, and when to hold himself back.

“The tough part is we need Draymond to be on edge,” Kerr said. “We don’t want Draymond to be passive. We want him to be fiery. We want him to be yelling and screaming. He’s got to walk that line. But it’s a tough line to walk for him because he’s so emotional, and competitive and passionate. That’s what makes him great.”

Green is on his own in figuring out that delicate line. Kerr said he would never try to tone down his All-Star forward.

“Why would we?” Kerr said. “Draymond is one of the most impactful players in the league and does so many great things for us. He gives us an edge that we otherwise don’t have. We have a very quiet team, you know, Steph (Curry), Klay (Thompson). KD (Kevin Durant) can get a little upset, a little angry. But for the most part, we don’t spend a lot of time yelling and screaming. So we need that chest-thumping, yelling Draymond. We need that. Again, it’s just about can we get him to walk that line.”

Kerr didn’t think Green should have been ejected Saturday, saying the second technical foul he was assessed seemed a bit quicktriggered.

It happened with less than three minutes left in the second quarter after Green was called for a foul on Deyonta Davis’ alleyoop attempt. Green waved his right hand dismissively, leading to him getting tossed.

“What I saw was he got called for the foul, and he went like that,” Kerr said, emulating the hand wave. “Now, he might have said a magic word in there somewhere, but normally you don’t get kicked out for that. You’ve got to be pretty demonstrative, normally. But nothing I can do about it.”

Green had received his first technical foul less than a minute earlier after arguing with a referee.

Kerr said Green’s reputation might lead to him being called for more technicals than other players. He said the second technical Saturday was a prime example.

“A ref would probably be more likely to give Steph Curry a pass on a situation like that than Draymond,” Kerr said.

Considering it’s the top of January, Green might need to start making sure he doesn’t get too many more technicals. Under NBA rules, a player is assessed a $4,000 fine for his 15th technical, and will receive a $5,000 fine and a one-game suspension for his 16th. Every technical foul accrued after the 16th will result in an additional $5,000 fine, and every two technicals is another onegame suspension.

Green avoided those penalties last season, finishing with 14 technical fouls.

“I fully expect Draymond to dial it back a little bit,” Kerr said. “He’s got five to play with, so once he gets that 15th, we’ll see what happens.”

Kerr said Green has a tough balancing act ahead, but the most important thing is that he figures out a way to remain on the court — something that didn’t happen Saturday.

“Even if the second one was unwarranted, he’s got to keep it to one tech because we need him,” Kerr said. “We need him desperately on the floor.”

• Green sustained a sprained left ankle during a scrimmage Tuesday and is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game at Dallas.

“He just came down on somebody’s foot,” Kerr said. “It didn’t look bad but we’ll just list him as questionable.”

Andre Iguodala (lower back stiffness) and Zaza Pachulia (illness) are also questionable. Omri Casspi (bruised right rib) is probable.

Curry, who dazzled Saturday in his first game back after missing 11 because of a sprained right ankle, apparently did not experience any soreness or setbacks against the Grizzlies.

“He’s feeling great,” Kerr said.

• One day after California became the sixth state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana on Monday, Kerr said that he’s a proponent of the decision.

“I do feel strongly that it’s a much better option than some of the prescription drugs,” Kerr said. “I know that it’s helping a lot of people, which is great. As long as it’s regulated and used wisely, I’m a proponent.”

Kerr acknowledged that he tried marijuana to ease the pain of the spinal fluid leak he incurred during back surgery in 2015.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me,” Kerr said. “I was disappointed that it didn’t help me a year and a half ago when I tried it as an alternative to the opioids I was getting prescribed for my pain that I was dealing with.”