SAN FRANCISCO – As the Warriors were losing to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at Chase Center, Draymond Green was making a statement that should bring his team at least a modicum of relief.
He’s very much with them.
Through all the nonsense and side gigs and moments of madness, Green, at 32, in a contract year, remains hard at work chasing what they’re chasing – as he vowed last week.
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Green’s grit and hustle could not prevent a 128-123 loss to the Nuggets, but he was the catalyst of a comeback that sliced a 20-point deficit to three in the final minute. His overall performance was a reminder for the sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center – and, more importantly, his teammates – of the tenacity he brings and the impact he can make when locked in.
“Draymond was fantastic,” coach Steve Kerr said. “His energy was great. He played so hard, pushed the ball, had nine assists. His defense was really on point.
“A great effort from him.”
This was visible, real-time proof that Draymond still is willing to spill his blood in pursuit of victory. It’s reasonable to believe his commitment might have been in question with some of his teammates and certainly in some quarters in the Dub Nation community.
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But the activity that made Draymond four-rings famous was on full display – particularly after the Warriors gave up 40 points in the first quarter. There were early signs of zeal, but it wasn’t enough.
So, Draymond cranked it up. His impact showed on defense, on offense and during timeouts. He at one point hopped off the bench while still in sweats, running toward midcourt, waving his arms wildly to get the attention of his teammates on the floor.
Though numbers rarely provide an accurate reflection of Draymond’s value, here they are: 13 points (4-of-6 shooting from the field, including 1-of-3 from deep, 4-of-4 from the line), nine assists, two rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
More telling, Green was a team-best plus-11 over 27 minutes before fouling out on a hustle play, trying to keep the Warriors alive in the final seconds.
Draymond was not close to being satisfied with his performance. He doesn’t take well to losses, particularly when the team’s defense is at fault.
“We could have started off with a stronger defensive presence,” Green said. “Five minutes into the game, they had 20 points. That’s on me. Whether I was out there are not, we were awful. We have to set a tone on that side of the court and that starts with me. I could be better on that end.”
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Green’s various off-court endeavors require a certain amount of time, effort and stamina. He punched young teammate Jordan Poole during practice on Oct. 5 and discussed the incident twice before revisiting it a third time on national TV on Tuesday night, a few hours before sharing giggles with his friend LeBron James during the Warriors-Lakers game.
But this was not a night to wonder about Draymond’s commitment to his team and the game. He was neck-deep in the competition. He was a foxhole guy.
He might not have needed to prove this, but he used this game to do exactly that.