Point forward? Draymond leads NBA in assists for February

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It was quite a month for Warriors forward Draymond Green.

The veteran, who had to start 10 games in February at center due to injuries, led the NBA in assists with 149.

But Draymond almost lost the lead due to a combination of his left ankle sprain in the Warriors' 117-91 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Sunday night, and a hard charge from Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young.

Green entered the night with 147 assists in February and added two to his total before leaving the game in the second quarter after rolling his ankle. Young, began the night with 139 and needed 11 assists to overtake Green, but finished with nine assists in the Hawks' 109-99 loss to the Miami Heat, giving him 148 for the month.

Green missed most of Warriors training camp after going through the NBA's health and safety protocols, but found his mark as a distributor in February, even when he was forced to play the five the majority of the month after Kevon Looney and James Wiseman both missed time.

Although his scoring numbers are down compared to his career averages, Draymond has shown up in every other aspect of the game, pulling down 6.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game while demonstrating his elite defensive ability night in and night out, assuming a range of difficult assignments on that end of the court.

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His presence on the court also has been a major benefit for Steph Curry, who is posting numbers on par with the best of his career. Steph's shooting percentages, especially from behind the 3-point line, dip significantly when Green is off the floor.

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Curry's climb into the MVP conversation despite the Warriors' near-.500 record is a testament to not only his immense talent, but just how well Green has done in terms of setting up his superstar counterpart.

Green will turn 31 on Mar. 4, so perhaps his birth month will see him continue his outstanding streak of racking up assists.

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