Draymond Green can’t help it. Trouble seems to find the controversial Warriors forward. He feels his reputation contributes to some of the punishment he faces from officials. So, against the Nuggets, Green made a move that stunned many people. There was a major scuffle during the game. But the former DPOY was the one who kept his composure.
Notably, Gary Payton II snatched Zeke Nnaji’s headband, forcing security and players to intervene. Draymond Green was a part of the heat during the buildup. But when it got really spicy, instead of making his presence felt, the Warriors’ defensive anchor took more than a few steps back.
Even the game announcers couldn’t believe the scenes unfolding in front of them. “Draymond Green is completely away from it!” one of the announcers said during the game.
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Green didn’t just stand ideally. Rather than get himself in trouble, he spent time talking to the officials about the chaos. He then calmly walked back to the Warriors’ bench. Draymond Green didn’t show any emotion. It was something a veteran would do. With the game barely entering the second quarter, Green understood the ramifications of picking up an early technical.
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And as mentioned, Green doesn’t have to be the instigator to be penalised. Likewise, he gave officials no reason to punish him. It’s an encouraging sight considering Draymond Green’s struggles throughout the season. He’s the player with the third most technical fouls, with 12 this season. Moreover, Green has also been ejected twice.
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It helped that Draymond Green stayed on the floor for the Warriors. They built a 13-point lead in the second quarter against the Nuggets. The seasoned forward had 10 points and five assists before the break, playing the role of a catalyst behind the Warriors’ brief success.
Sustainability, injuries hurt the Warriors vs Nuggets
The Golden State Warriors have pulled out every player from their roster to manage the injury problems. And they had started to deliver, going on a three-game winning streak. It started off positively against the Nuggets. The ball was moving, and the Warriors defended well. But the second half was a complete contrast.
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The Warriors had just 11 assists and seven turnovers. They managed to score just 40 points, while the Nuggets put 70 on their heads. And Kerr spoke about the repeating pattern of the Warriors failing to remain consistent for 48 minutes.
“It’s kind of been a pattern of ours a little bit. We’re playing a really solid half, and then we just can’t sustain it. That’s where you really feel the injuries. You need more depth, you need more firepower, but we just got to keep fighting,” said Steve Kerr.
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Even the current set of available players has some health troubles. De’Anthony Melton is going through a slump. And Kerr revealed it’s due to a lingering thumb injury that the veteran guard is playing through. The Warriors were also missing Al Horford on top of both Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
Luckily, Kerr did offer some optimism around Curry returning soon. The Warriors talisman has progressed to on-court workouts and is nearing a return from his knee injury. His participation provides the Warriors with the ‘firepower’ required to maintain leads. With Porzingis also being available, a pairing with Stephen Curry could do wonders for the Warriors.
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Till that happens, the team needs to continue fighting and win as many of their remaining games as possible.