The Golden State Warriors have booked their ticket to the NBA Playoffs. They managed to avoid the OKC Thunder in the first round after beating the Memphis Grizzlies by 5 points tonight. But we saw a curious interaction between Draymond Green and Stephen Curry tonight. One that was telling of the on-court dynamic between the two Dubs mainstays. This interaction showed us that Draymond isn’t someone to whom the phrase “Once bitten, twice shy” applies.
During the game, Draymond Green attempted an out-of-character corner three-pointer. Now, the Warriors are among the best in the NBA when it comes to three-pointers made. However, we wouldn’t say shooting is Green’s forte. And recognizing this fact, Steph Curry made his way over to Draymond to politely let him know that he should stick to his strengths.
“When I shot that three in the corner, he very nicely told me that it wasn’t time for me to shoot. He came over to me and said, ‘Hey, man. We gotta get into a certain action that we call, and we like to run.’ I was like, ‘Alright. No problem.’ Like, that was a very nice way of telling me ‘Don’t shoot right now.’ No problem,” Draymond told the media, following the win over the Grizzlies.
Draymond then admitted to handing over the ball to Curry on the next play. And like clockwork, Steph made one out of his six made threes after receiving the Ball from Green. Who’d have thought Draymond would be one to keel over so easily? But it seems the mantra is “When in doubt, find Steph” for Draymond, too. Especially when it comes to shooting from beyond the arc, even if there’s a little defiance sprinkled in there sometimes.
Feb 2, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and guard Stephen Curry (30) react during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
However, it would’ve been better for the Dubs had Draymond received this memo earlier. You see, Draymond made a horrific mistake recently that the Dubs paid for dearly. Clearly, he hasn’t learned from the mistakes of his past, as shown by tonight’s game.
Draymond Green nearly repeated his blunder from the LA Clippers game before Stephen Curry warned him
By now, we know what to expect when Draymond Green is on the court. Gritty defense, tactical fouls, and an unmatched mean streak. However, in the final regular season for the Dubs, Draymond Green decided to add foul-baiting to his skill set. With 30 seconds left on the clock, Gary Payton II found Green in the open near the rim. Had Draymond simply laid up the ball, the Warriors would’ve finished as the 7th seed in the West.
However, the Dubs veteran chose to awkwardly lean into Kawhi Leonard. A blatant attempt at baiting a foul and turning the bucket into a 3-point play. However, what actually happened was that leaning into Leonard only served to throw off Draymond’s shot. This sealed the game after the Clippers got the rebound and a few last-minute free throws to follow.
Dec 15, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) passes to guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
And just like that, the Warriors were forced to compete in the Play-In today. Had Draymond not gone at it alone, they could have gotten some much-needed rest ahead of the Playoffs. And tonight he nearly did it again by whiffing on the three-point attempt. But this time, someone was there to stop him before he could make it any worse. Thank God for Steph Curry, huh?
Nevertheless, it seems Draymond gets it now. And if he doesn’t, as long as Curry is on the floor, he’ll probably think twice after deciding to go at it alone after today. But only time will tell if Draymond truly learned his lesson as the Warriors begin their Playoff run.
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