CLEVELAND -- The conversation swirls about Kevin Durant’s incredible show in Game 3 or Stephen Curry’s record-setting outing in Game 2.
Or maybe it’s about JR Smith’s gaffe in Game 1 and how it obscured a 51-point performance by LeBron James that might have changed the course of the series.
Meanwhile, the spine of the Warriors this postseason, and in the NBA Finals, can get overshadowed though never unheard.
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So on Thursday, with the Warriors one win away from closing out the Cavaliers, James took a few seconds to address the impact of Draymond Green.
Asked what exactly makes the Warriors so unique on defense, James needed no time to ruminate.
“Draymond,” he said.
Even though Green is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, his overall influence on a game sometimes gets lost. The blocks and steals are obvious, but the subtle things he does to destroy offensive sets require a trained eye, such as that of James.
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“Draymond is a catalyst and the anchor for their defense,” James said. “Very, very smart defensively. He knows pretty much every set. He kind of flies around and dictates their defense, either on the perimeter or protecting the rim as well.”
Though numbers don’t begin to define Green, they do provide some idea of his value. Through 20 games this postseason, Green leads the Warriors in rebounding (11.0 per game), steals (2.0) and blocks (1.4).
And Green’s 99.6 defensive rating is the best among all regular starters.
Which brings us to another trained eye, that of Durant, who points out Green’s intangible value.
“I played with guys with that same type of intensity,” Durant said, “but his talent and feel is different. His feel for just knowing what to do. He's two or three plays ahead.
“On the defensive side of the ball, you just want somebody that you can trust and somebody that you know is going to go to war with you. It's something going into a game I don't even think about with Draymond. I just know it's going to happen.”
Green’s value obviously is not lost on Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Though all four Warriors All-Stars -- Klay Thompson, Curry, Durant and Green -- are averaging at least 35 minutes per game, Green is the leader at 39.0.
And he still finds time to lead the Warriors in assists (8.1 per game) while engaging in a running dialogue with Cleveland center Tristan Thompson.
Game | Result/Schedule |
---|---|
Game 1 | Warriors 124, Cavs 114 (OT) |
Game 2 | Warriors 122, Cavs 103 |
Game 3 | Warriors 110, Cavs 102 |
Game 4 | Cleveland -- Friday, June 8 at 6pm |
Game 5 | Oakland -- Monday, June 11 at 6pm |
Game 6 | Cleveland -- Thursday, June 14 at 6pm |
Game 7 | Oakland -- Sunday, June 17 at 5pm |