Green won’t give up on playoffs, even with injuries
SAN FRANCISCO >> Somewhere in the back of the mind of Warriors forward Draymond Green was the awareness that the championship run wouldn’t last forever. Now, as the last player standing among those who went to five straight Finals, Green is being forced to reassess his role and the Warriors’ expectations this season.
“The things that we went through the past four or five years, you’re not looking ahead to bad times. You’re trying to do all you can to embrace those good times,” Green said Friday. “But somewhere in the back of your mind, you know it’s not going to be that way forever. But you never look forward to it.”
With news that guard Stephen Curry will miss at least three months after undergoing surgery to repair the second metacarpal in his left hand, the Warriors’ chances of making the playoffs are slim. For context: Las Vegas recently moved the Warriors’ championship odds from 10-to-1 to 100-to-1 — the same as the Atlanta Hawks.
“I mean, it sucks. It’s tough,” Green said. “Obviously it gets way harder without Steph.”
Green said his new role is like going from the second-oldest brother to the oldest. Curry entered the league three years before Green, but now Green becomes the most experienced player available on a roster that includes nine players age 23 or younger.
He spoke about learning from former Warriors players like guard Jarret Jack and forwards David Lee, Carl Landry and David West early in his career.
“I’ve been blessed to have those type of people over the course of my career to kind of show me the way, and now it’s on me to take what I’ve learned from them and try to implement it here,” Green said.
More from Green:
ON HOW CURRY’S INJURY CHANGES HIS APPROACH TO THE SEASON >> “It just makes everything a lot harder. But for me, it’s like, I went from like the second brother in line, to like the older brother, which is like a completely different thing. So just adjusting to that. You know, I’ve never been that in my NBA career, so that’s an adjustment, but one I’m excited about. And then on the court, leading in all facets. Offensive end and defensive end. Being more aggressive. A lot of things change, but that’s the business we’re in.”
ON BEING THE LAST FOUNDATIONAL PLAYER STANDING >> “It’ll be weird from the standpoint of the familiarity we’ve built over the years. But we’ve got 10-12 other teammates … everybody is embracing those relationships. So it’s not like I’m looking at it like it’s us four and them, it’s not that.
“You know, they’re our teammates. They just weren’t our teammates for the previous success we’ve had. But they’re our teammates this year and we’ve started to build with them. So I’m not looking at it like ‘ah, man, those guys are out and now I’m by myself.’ Like, no, I’m with my teammates.”
ON IF HE’S ADJUSTED HIS EXPECTATIONS
FOR THE SEASON AND THE
POSSIBILITY OF NOT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS >> “No, I play basketball for a living. I’m a competitor. I’m never just throwing playoffs out of the equation. We’re going to go out and compete every night, and we live with the results.
“Are things that’s happened, bigger blows to our chances? Absolutely. But as someone who’s healthy I’m not like ‘oh, it’s over for the playoffs.’ No, you go out there and play and try to win games and whatever happens, happens.”