Draymond Green came off the bench for the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of their NBA first-round playoff series against the Sacramento Kings.
On the heels of Green’s Game 3 suspension, many wondered if the move was a punishment, precautionary measure or something else entirely.
Reason aside, the move ended up paying dividends for Golden State. Not only did they win Game 4, but Green still played in the crucial final moments and his defensive tenacity served a key role in the Warriors tying the series up at two games apiece.
That said, in the aftermath, two reasons emerged for Green coming off the bench. One was the one he said, and one is what NBA insiders are reporting was the real motivation.
In a session with the media, Green made it seem like the move for him to come off the bench was his choice.
“There’s a lot of guys who… feel a sense of entitlement.… I never want to reach that point in my career where I feel entitled to something. Those guys don’t fare well in the end.”
Draymond Green speaks on the decision to come off the bench in Game 4 🗣️pic.twitter.com/mHRjnvroxo
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 23, 2023
“I’m a firm believer in, if something isn’t broke, you don’t fix it,” Green said.
“Our offense was rolling and we played really good defensively. I didn’t want to come back and just shake things up because I’m back. That’s not right. Jordan [Poole] went out there, he played well, we played well. He earned it. Our team earned that.
“There’s a lot of guys who start to feel a sense of entitlement, like that spot’s yours. I never want to reach that point in my career where I feel entitled to something. Those guys don’t fare well in the end.”
According to ESPN NBA insider Kendra Andrews, though – there may actually be a different reason for why Golden State opted to bring Green off the bench.
“The decision stemmed from the Warriors’ desire to split up their non-shooters and separate Green and Kevon Looney, sources told ESPN. Golden State liked the spacing it played with in Game 3 while Green was suspended. The Warriors also played one of their best defensive games of the series,” she wrote.
For what it’s worth, the Warriors were +8 when Green was on the court in Game 4. And again, his defense when it mattered most helped seal the outing for his side.
Green’s future with the Warriors, both in the short and long term, has been a popular topic of conversation this year. He himself has acknowledged that he doesn’t know how much longer he will remain in The Bay.
Another reason to root for the Kings to beat the Warriors. https://t.co/0g6itVYrel
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 24, 2023
For now, though – he remains a pivotal part of the Warriors’ championship aspirations.
And he proved that in Game 4.
Can Green and the Warriors come back to beat the Kings, continue on in the playoffs and eventually win a second consecutive NBA championship? Time will tell.
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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.
