Forward is looking to get rhythm back

The Warriors are at their best when forward Draymond Green is knocking down open three-pointers. With Green feasting from deep, opposing defenses must answer a tricky question: Do they give him more attention at the risk of leaving Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson open?

This is a query teams haven’t faced much this season as Green labors through one of the worst shooting slumps of his career. In 19 games, he is shooting just 42 percent from the field, including 22 percent from three-point range. Before going 2-for-4 from three-point range Saturday in a win over Dallas at Oracle Arena, Green was 1-for-16 from deep in his previous nine outings.

A toe injury that sidelined him for 14 games has made it tough for Green to settle into a rhythm. But more concerning for the Warriors is his hesitance, the way he takes an extra moment or two to hoist a three-pointer — even when no one is within feet of him. “We need him to make some shots, for sure,” Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said. “We know what Draymond’s capable of. I think now that he’s back, and he’s been back for a few games, I think that he’s getting his legs underneath him.

“I would be surprised if he didn’t start feeling better with his feel with his shot. I think he’ll start making some, and it’ll make the game a lot easier for us.”

Green isn’t known for his shooting, but he has shown a knack for capitalizing on the spacing Durant, Curry and Thompson provide. This is a player who shot 38.8 percent from three-point range in the 2015-16 season. Each summer, Green works on his shooting with his close friend and personal trainer, Travis Walton.

Green’s struggles have been so pronounced this season that defenses aren’t even bothering to put a hand on him along the perimeter. It’s reminiscent of his rookie season, when teams sagged off as he shot 20.9 percent from beyond the arc.

“I know it’ll fall at some point,” Green said after going 0-for-2 from deep in Wednesday’s loss to Utah. “It’s probably a good thing, because that means people will keep playing me like this.

“So, it’s probably a good thing. I actually like it. People starting to guard me like they used to back in the day.”