As Game 4 ended, things for the Warriors seemed to be looking up. You’d bet they would bulldoze past the Houston Rockets. The Timberwolves ran over the Lakers with such a lead, Celtics did the same with the Orlando Magic. But when it came to the Warriors, things unravelled fast! The Rockets were quick to come back in control, leveling the series 3-3 with the final showdown scheduled today. But whatever few little moments the Dubs got to savor in glory, Draymond Green has credits to be given to. Dwyane Wade would attest. Before things slipped, the Warriors looked dominant. Draymond Green, in particular, had fans fired up during Game 4. Despite five fouls, he anchored the final defensive stop, shutting down Alperen Şengün in isolation. That play sealed the 109-106 win.
Sengun had been on fire before that—scoring at will—but Draymond’s block changed everything. “He doesn’t let ’em get to their spot. He knows the game so well, he knows how to get guys off their pet moves,” Kevon Looney said. His lockdown defense even impressed the Miami Heat legend, who couldn’t help but applaud.
On The Timeout podcast, Chris Johnson asked, “So for you, who’s your enforcer?” Wade laughed and answered, “Oh, you already know who it is. I know who it is, with them braids.” The conversation soon led to Draymond after D. Wright brought him up. “The best player cannot be the enforcer,” Johnson noted. “Because he puts himself in jeopardy and takes away from the team.” Yet Wade defended him, calling Draymond a “smart enforcer.” That’s the sacrifice—walking the line between brilliance and chaos.
If you ask John Salley, that’s the guy every team needs. That’s the guy the Warriors have needed. “I tell you this those guys have to realize that they have an enforcer and if that enforcer wasn’t there we would not be talking about the Golden State Warriors. He is the energy of that Team,” he once asserted. Green is aware of the role, too. He knows the team needs one if they don’t want to get bullied. And dirty work it may mean, but the DPOY adorns the role with pride.
In Game 3, when he instigated the ref? Yeah, that may have been purposeful to motivate his team. It worked, too, when the Warriors went on to outscore the Rockets by 11 points. Green has embodied the role so well, Dwyane Wade had no doubts who’d come out the winner during that moment between Sengun and the Warriors star.
Dec 19, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
“Once he locked in on Draymond, Draymond didn’t let that man get barely past the free-throw line,” Wade said. For him, it wasn’t just a defensive stop: it was a masterclass. They broke it down even further. D Wright pointed out how “Sengun was hooping”, but he was quickly shut down by Wade, who pointed out, “He was hooping somewhere else at the end of the game.” Wade also pointed out what makes Green special. In his words, “Draymond, being at his height, playing against centers, you gotta be mentally tough. You gotta have IQ.” Green was surgical, smart, and willing to put himself at risk for the team.
Draymond Green commits a flagrant foul in Game 6
Just minutes into Game 6, Draymond Green found himself at the center of controversy. It all went down when he struck Jalen Green in the head while setting a screen for Steph Curry. His left hand struck Jalen on the back of the head. What made it worse was that it sent Green to the floor. Moreover, while it was just ruled as an offensive foul initially, things turned serious for Draymond after the officials decided to upgrade to a flagrant-1 after review! This decision granted Houston two free throws and possession, leading to a quick four-point swing.
Unfortunately for the warriors, Jalen made both free throws, and Alperen Sengun also capitalized on the opportunity to score a quick layup. So overall, just because of this mistake, it gave away four points to the Rockets. Also, Green’s aggressive playing style has led to 23 ejections and six suspensions to him. This doesn’t look good for Draymond, showing a pattern of behavior that puts his team at a disadvantage.
What makes it worse is that the Warriors desperately needed this win, with them being in the lead by just a single game. If they could have won the game, they would have secured their advancement. However, as things stand now, the score stands tied! Green’s lapse in judgment not only cost his team points but also the momentum they had built up.
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