After a 3-1 lead, it took longer than what the Golden State Warriors would have envisioned. But they got the job done against the Houston Rockets in a Game 7. The Toyota Center’s hostility didn’t faze the Bay. They looked prepared and in all honestly far different from their display in the previous two games. That was because of a key factor. The Warriors accepted their flaws and changed their mentality. In particular, Draymond Green, the leader of the troops.
In Game 6, the veteran forward had a low moment. An early flagrant foul was indicative of the Warriors’ disturbed mentality as they got “bullied” by the Rockets. Likewise, Green admitted to being “embarassed” not only by their performace but by himself. As the voice of the locker room, he felt like he let his teammates down. And in preparation for the Game 7, it was his wife Hazel Renee and others who helped him recoup.
“People I trust them most had you know we had some heart to Hearts after last game. My wife, I. wife one of my closest friends, Travis. My barber was one of my closest friends. Coach Izzo and I just. I pouted way too much last game… And so I’ve been dying since the last game ended. To get out on the floor and prove who I am,” the four-time champion said about his preparations.
Those conversations proved to be the anecdote Green needed. Where Stephen Curry struggled in the first half with just 3 points, he took the responsibility alongside Buddy Hield to keep the Warriors’ engines running. He scored a series-high 16 points while being a workhorse on the defensive end.
Mar 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) argues a call against the Atlanta Hawks in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Looking at him putting everything on the line, his teammates followed him. And that didn’t surprise Draymond Green. “I think I delivered that and gave our guys something to follow what I gave them last game to follow, they followed it and that’s why we got bullied. But I think I gave them something different to follow today and that was that was the that was the message. That was the goal. We got it done,” he told the media.
Draymond Green serves as a true leader
Green’s wife, Hzel Renee continued to shwo her support besides their conversations. She was present at the all important game, cheering on her husband and the Golden State Warriors. But getting just his mentality right didn’t win the game for the Glden State Warriors. Upon realizing where he went wrong, Green ecen spoke at the team meeting before Game 7.
“I always try to defer to Steph. I defer to Jimmy, and they wanted me to speak, but I had a lot to say,” Green revealed.
It most mostly about taking accountability. As somebody who leads by example and commands, Draymond Green admitted in front of the whole team that he had made severe mistakes. I twas his way of showing that even though a senior player, he doesn’t get anyleeway from the team in such times. And using that, he wanted to remind the team of what they needed most.
“You can’t go into a game seven expecting guys to rally off the game we had before and not address it. And so I wanted to address that. Number one. But then secondly, tell everybody else what we needed, which was a togetherness like no other. And our huddles together. Trusting in each other and believing. And so thought it was a much needed,” the former DPOY noted.
But while he was speaking to the team, Draymond Green was also giving instructions to himself. He saw this as the way of getting rid of the embarassment he had been carrying from the previous games. “You can’t be a leader and not be accountable,” he says. And his humility to be vulnerable in ront od his teammates turned out to be inspiring.
The Warriors played with heart like they would accept no other outcome than winning. The elation was evident at the end of he buzzer. Green said nigth night into the camera, Curry and Jimmy Butler enjoyed a moment of celebration and the team knew they executed everything they wanted.
Most of the credit goes o every individual who took on that mindset. However, Green’s speech and powerful words helped the team realize just what they lacked.
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