Draymond Green’s Excuse For His Brutal Missed Game-Winning Layup
Draymond Green's Excuse For His Brutal Missed Game-Winning Layup
In a pivotal overtime matchup against the LA Clippers on Sunday, Draymond Green missed a critical layup that significantly impacted the Golden State Warriors’ playoff positioning. The Warriors, needing a win to secure a top-six seed and avoid the play-in tournament, now find themselves in that exact scenario following their 124-119 overtime loss.
The crucial play occurred with under 30 seconds remaining in overtime and the Warriors trailing 121-119. After a double-team forced the ball out of Stephen Curry’s hands, Gary Payton II received a pass at the free-throw line and quickly found Green completely uncovered beneath the basket.
DRAYMOND?!?!
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 13, 2025
Instead of taking a straightforward layup to tie the game, Green awkwardly contorted his body in an apparent attempt to draw contact from defenders. This unorthodox approach resulted in a poorly executed shot that missed completely, allowing the Clippers to secure the rebound and ultimately win the game.
Green addressed the mistake directly in his post-game media session with remarkable brevity: “I smoked a layup.”
The missed opportunity carried significant consequences:
- The Warriors dropped to the play-in tournament position
- Golden State must now face the Memphis Grizzlies in the 7-8 play-in game
- If victorious against Memphis, they would match up with the second-seeded Houston Rockets
This sequence proved particularly costly considering the game situation. Had Green converted the layup, the Warriors would have tied the score against a Clippers team without remaining timeouts. Golden State would have potentially regained possession with several seconds left and their own timeout available to advance the ball.
The decision to attempt drawing a foul rather than focusing on a clean finish appears especially questionable given Green’s free-throw percentage of 68.7% this season.
NBA social media circles quickly reacted to the blown layup, with fans and analysts highlighting the play as a pivotal moment in the Warriors’ season. The team’s locker room now faces the challenge of regrouping before their play-in matchup, where their postseason fate hangs in the balance.
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
