Draymond and Steph both had a couple stinker games this year. And Draymond's brilliance is just a little harder to see, because it most often manifests as things that don't happen—plays the other team doesn't score on—than as things that do. But he is one of the most singularly talented and unique players in the league, and there's nobody I would rather put on the court alongside the Splash Bros to make a contender.
Frankly, even with the wrinkles, the ugly moments, and the disconcerting downward trend in scoring numbers, the performance he put on this year was fantastic, and I still want him to stay on the Warriors until he retires.
The more I watch all these playoffs, the more I think they’re really wide open and the Warriors would have as much of a chance as anyone else if they’d got Lee and Oubre back. (They were just too ragged after going so long with just 8 players.)
Yeah, it's going to continue to sting that we lost to the Lakers on a highly contested shot-clock-expiring step-back 3 and then blew it to Memphis... Definitely feel like we should've and could've had a better overall showing this season.
I think this Clipper/Jazz series will be instructive as far as how the Warriors would have fared against the Jazz. The Warriors aren't the Clippers offensively obviously but both teams often have a big quickness/athleticism advantage when they go small, especially over a team like the Jazz with guys like Favors, Ingles, and Bogdanovic. They can also force Gobert to the perimeter when they go small, either with Draymond screening for Curry or Batum being a threat from three. Gobert basically carries their defense so if you can neutralize him you can beat them.
If the Clippers go small, I think they will beat the Jazz, and I think it will be confirmation that the Warriors would have beaten them too. Bazemore, Wiggins, and Oubre would have been too athletic for the Jazz while Curry/Green would have gotten Gobert out of his comfort zone.
I think Lue will go small because he went small against the Mavericks but after watching Budenholzer in action I'm going to start evaluating these series on hypotheticals lol.
The Warriors once looked into hiring Mike Budenholzer and thank god that didn't happen. Kerr is lightyears ahead of this idiot. I can't believe what I'm seeing lol, they'd still be losing this game at the half regardless thanks to Middleton's struggles but it didn't have to be game over already.
Giannis is a fucking center in the playoffs, why is he always playing with Lopez or Portis on the floor? Put him at center and put Connaughton in there more with him and switch everything, I thought you traded for Tucker so you could do that?
And say what you want about Frank Vogel but in that second half of the play-in game he started putting AD in motion which made him much tougher for the Warriors to guard thanks to his absurd physical gifts. Giannis' gifts are even more absurd and yet Bud seems committed to using Giannis as the ballhandler against a set defense. That's how you get 2 free throws in a half with Giannis on your team against the Net defense. Maybe they had to do that when they had Bledsoe since he couldn't shoot but you traded the farm for Jrue Holiday to avoid this! At least I thought that was the plan lol.
Down 2-0 as the lower seed is not the end of a series (as the Bucks found out in 2019), plenty of time for adjustments, but I had (clearly unfounded) optimism Bud was going to start the series out this way after the roster changes and all the regular season playstyle changes. He's blowing a winnable series just like Doc did last season, and he'll deserve to be fired if they lose.
They are at least one year late in letting Bud go. Creative adjustments in the playoffs are a must. He has the ingredients to at least threaten to win a Chip, but he's out of recipes. It's a big FO failure and another wasted year for Giannis. Bummer, I like MIL, good group of guys.
It sickens me because I really do think Giannis should be in contention for the best player in the league (along with other guys like Curry of course) but his front office and coach seem set on humiliating him year after year.
How many championships do the Warriors win if Kerr never puts Draymond at center? I think there's a case that the answer is zero, it was absolutely essential against the 2015 Cavs and 2018 Rockets. They might have still won in 2017 but that Cavs team was no joke.
Yep, you covered me. Have felt he was the wrong man for the job since he was hired. Budenholzer didn't win in Atlanta with 5 All Stars. The Bucks have been riding Giannis' athleticism for a long time. Have had a slew of talent go through, but have yet to show the type of team ball/ball movement that wins in playoffs these days. Just a waste of a generational talent.
Eh the five all stars thing was overblown, their talent wasn’t that good, the East was turrible. What he’s done the last two plus this postseason is enough to fire him imho.
Green narratives. Warriors lose and folks can't stop talking about how D needs to score more. The word is: When Draymond scores 10 or more, the Warriors win ... a lot. The problem is this: that statement, that narrative, is backwards. We think the Warriors win more BECAUSE Draymond scored more. The truth is, Draymond scores more WHEN the Warriors are winning. We do not need Draymond to "shoot 3s and space the floor" so the Warrior's offense works better. We need the Warriors to "space the floor better" so that Draymond can score more. And this is what I feel is wrong with this narrative that, truthfully and sincerely, absolutely overshadowed and nullified our enjoyment of a top 3 DPOY and #4 IN THE LEAGUE in Assists and top 5 Team Defensive year all brought to us by one Draymond Green. The dude had an Epic season and what did everyone do? We awed and gushed over Curry and criticized Green at every turn. The double standard with which Green has been treated in the media this year is heinous. I think a host or 2 on 95.7 gave him a grade of C for the year. A C! (Uh-oh, blood pressure rising) What more does this guy have to do? No Draymond Green and the team has a team defensive rank in the mid-20s or worse. He's worth 7-9 points a night on defense. Someone, please add that to his 7 point offensive average. A little math ... let me get my abacus out .. a few ore calculations ... Ah-ha! 15 points a game. Are you not entertained???
Getting down off my soapbox. sorry about that.
Green is an "opportunistic scorer". His points come on opportunities that are created by space. Yes, wide open 3s in rhythm, gotta take them, work on your shot. But his other scoring comes on drives to the basket and he can't do that without teammates that pose threats in space East, West & North. This year, the Warriors had no one creating vertical threats. Sure, Wiseman did a little, but let's be honest, he just hadn't learned how to use his size to exploit the airspace above the rim. With no Klay, Curry's gravity pulled 2 defenders to his hips, but it also pulled weak side defenders into the lane because no-one seemed to care too much about Oubre or Mulder standing in the corner. With Curry & Klay, you get gravity working East & West and this opens up the lane. The ideal scoring situation for Green is getting a pass from Curry, Curry relocating to a corner, Klay moving on the weak side perimeter & Wiseman loading up in the dunker's spot. Now he has 3 options to pass, and all defenders have to make a choice, chase, sag or block out, and THIS is how Draymond scores. There is a great clip of Wiseman in the high post throwing a pass to Green cutting back door for an easy layup. That is how Draymond scores. It's not Draymond's job to shoot more to create opportunities for his teammates. Rather, Draymond's scoring is a bellwether for the ability and performance of his teammates. Like Kerr said, Draymond's scoring is gravy. It's the team's job to bring the biscuits.
Probably leaked by Oubre's agent? I know Myers said he wasn't going to be in the market for a contract like Oubre is trying to get, and after the season dude just had, they're probably working overtime trying to dredge up interest.
When I was a kid playing basketball I always enjoyed doing the non-flashy things like getting on the loose balls, hitting the assist, taking a charge, hedging someone so bad they throw the ball away, making everyone else better around me - Dray is the embodiment of my childhood basketball dream. He has built a career on being selfless, finding the gaps around Steph and Klays game and filling them with effort and effective play. The guy is unlike any player I have ever seen, and much like a Steph quick release step back 3 makes your jaw drop in awe, so does a Draymond hedge, help and vertical contest. Its a thing of beauty.
So thank you to Draymond for bringing my childhood dream to a reality, you are an amazing baller, and you continue to prove why basketball is a team game. Now get that backpack cranked over the offseason for some high % 3 balls!!
Dude, just figured out your handle! Hilarious. You have to feel kind of sad for the folks that don't see Draymond's game. It's like they are watching a thing they call basketball, but they are not really watching basketball. If he was a superhero, he'd be the Invisible Man. His game is so subtle and nuanced and it's just hard for many to see when it's masked with so much emotion and braggadocio.
Jun 7, 2021Liked by punk basketball, Daniel Hardee
Wanted to share a piece about Draymond I wrote after Charlotte Game this year.
How to live with Draymond: a primer for the peanut gallery.
Has Draymond Green’s penchant for temper tantrums and ill-timed technical fouls left a bad taste in your mouth? Have you had it up to here with his constant complaining and utter lack of even a mediocre outside shot? Do you bury your head in your hands whenever you think of 4 points, 4 years and 100 million dollars? If so, you may be suffering from Day-Day-ism: a common disease that causes those afflicted to play checkers and act like New York Knick fans. There is no known cure, but with help, this disease can be put in remission.
My name is Peter, I’m a Drayaholic, and here is how I learned to live with Draymond Green, two ‘Day-Days’ at a time.
Draymond Green will always wear a scarlet letter for his suspension in the 2016 finals which most people would agree cost the Warriors a championship that year. I wasn’t upset about the technical he received in game 4. What I can’t forget were the two techs he received, one in the series against Portland, a team that posed no threat to the Warriors, and the other in the first quarter of a meaningless regular season game that year against Utah. Those were the senseless technical fouls that led to Green’s untimely suspension. Those were the technical fouls that should have been avoided. As a fan, that was the part of Draymond’s game I wished he could change. And herein lies the fan’s frustration: why can’t he change? To answer that question, perhaps we could use an assist from Steph Curry, that is, if he doesn’t turn the ball over.
We all love Steph, but as great as he is, I think we can all agree that there is still one negative aspect of his game that we all wish he could fix: the loosey-goosey lazy-ass bonehead passes he throws to opponents on a nightly basis. In general, point guards rack up a lot of turnovers. Its one of the hazards of the job. But these turnovers are in a different category.
Like Draymond’s technicals in meaningless situations, we all wish Steph could just stop with the loosey-goosey turnovers. Our mistake, and never-ending frustration as fans, comes from a belief that Daymond’s Ts and Curry’s TOs are a problem, when in fact, they are quite the opposite.
Curry’s offensive game is a work of high art. He is Miles Davis with a basketball. He doesn’t drive the lane with the precision of a heart surgeon as Kyrie does. Instead, Curry dances with his opponents. Curry doesn’t keep his dribble on a tight string, he is loosey-goosey with the ball, always dribbling the ball in shared space, tempting his opponents to act, and then reacting to their movements with dazzling virtuosity. Steph’s loosey-goosey nature with the basketball is the heart of what makes him a generational talent. You cannot ‘read & react’ like he does if you are reading off sheet music.
This is improvisation at the highest level and it requires Curry to remain ‘loose’. Steph’s lazy turnovers are always frustrating to see, but demanding that he eliminate them from his game is missing the point entirely. Curry’s lazy TOs and his impossible hand-in-face-falling-down-dagger 3-point shots spring from the same source, they are water drawn from the same well. If we want to enjoy Curry’s inspirational brilliance on the basketball court, is it too much to ask from us as fans to shrug off the occasional lazy TO?
The same idea applies to Draymond. Many will protest and say his antics cost GSW the game in Charlotte recently, and worse, the championship in 2016. Are we saying that Curry’s lazy TOs never contributed to a regular season loss? And I seem to remember an ill-advised behind the back pass from Curry in the last 5 minutes of Game 7 of the 2016 Finals that turned out to be a pivotal play in the game the Warriors would ultimately lose. On the surface, an emotional Draymond T comes across as much more egregious than a lazy Curry TO, but these events are equal in their ability to impact a game on the biggest stage.
Returning to Draymond, let’s not forget who this guy is: an annoying pudgy tweener from Saginaw, MI, who would be lucky if he ever developed a mediocre outside shot, who spent a good part of his childhood getting tossed into garbage cans at the local rec center where he fought to get onto the basketball court with the older kids in his neighborhood.
He is a 3-time NBA Champ, an All-Star, a DPOY, regarded by his peers as having one of the highest basketball IQs in the game, he is the ‘heart’ and emotional leader of a legacy franchise. When he is done playing basketball, he could be an agent, he could be a coach, he could be a general manager, and we all know that TNT already has a chair with his name on it, ready for the day that Charles Barkley retires. Think of Draymond’s career so far and what many project to be a very successful career once he is off the court and then think back to that kid alone in the bottom of a garbage can.
If you have a problem understanding Draymond Green, you need to see him in his natural habitat and that is inside that garbage can. This is where the Spirit that made Draymond Green was forged. You could throw him in the can 100 times, but you were not going to keep him off the basketball court. Lacking the physical gifts some players are blessed with, Green was forced to rely on anything and everything else, B-ball IQ, heart, emotion, energy and determination. Spiderman was bit by a radioactive spider, the Green Lantern draws power from his ring, Batman drew his power from a very large bank account, Curry draws his power from a well of infinite Joy and youthful frivolity. Draymond Green? He draws his power from dumpster diving.
While I am not Draymond’s defense attorney, I think it worth pointing out some pertinent facts leading up to his recent outburst in Charlotte. There is a reason Steve Kerr only uses the small ball lineup in limited minutes. If you do it all the time, it will take a mental & physical toll. How many games have the Warriors played 48-small while Wiseman-Looney-Chriss sat with injuries? Kerr commented recently about how much harder it is for Draymond to ‘bring it emotionally’ every night, both for his own play and as the emotional leader of the team. Before every game, Wiggins is tasked with: guard THAT GUY, hit open 3s, if the defense stalls, try and drive or hit a step back 18 footer. That’s his job every night. Meanwhile, Draymond is the defensive captain, middle linebacker and free safety in one, having to guard his own man and help everyone else guard theirs, he is the offensive quarterback, emotional team leader, who has to nursemaid Wiseman when playing and keep a precocious Oubre out of trouble (or Curry’s corner). And while nursing a sore knee and ankle, on the rear end of a road back-to-back, after weeks of shouldering the center position above and beyond his already otherworldly duties, he has to share the court for 34 minutes with a Wannamaker as Curry is a pregame scratch and he has the Warriors up 2 with possession and under a minute to play.
What followed? Day Day snapped and the Refs put him in the proverbial garbage can. The media and fans scream that Draymond’s actions here, and the fact that they clearly cost the Warriors the game, were inexcusable. My take: Draymond needed to reconnect with his power source; Draymond needed a dumpster.
Less we forget, Draymond isn’t playing checkers, focusing on the results of a single regular season game. He isn’t even playing regular chess. Draymond plays the kind of multi-level chess they used to play on the old Star Treks. He is calculating, playing for a single play, a game, a full season, and even a post-career all simultaneously. Sacrificing a regular season game here or there for the bigger picture is peanuts to Draymond, unlike most fans who hang on dearly to the final score of each game. And herein lies the problem many fans have with Draymond and the first signs of Day-Dayism. Everyone throws their arms up in frustration and dismay when Draymond causes himself to get tossed into a dumpster, again, and believe the guy just can’t control himself. But Day-Day dumpster diving is like Superman going into a phone booth. He isn’t looking for half eaten chili dogs, he is getting his super-human spirit back.
Look, as a fan, every now and then, Draymond is going to piss in your canteen. But ten times out of ten, when the grenade lands in your foxhole, he is the guy who is going to jump on it. Like Curry’s lazy-ass loosey-goosey turnovers, Draymond’s outbursts are inextricably tied to that which makes him an incredible talent. Sure, sometimes they are tough to swallow, but you can’t have one without the other. So, my advice to all of those in the peanut gallery who are put off by Draymond’s outbursts is simple:
Take a deep breath, go rinse out your canteen, and pray to God that when the grenade lands at your feet, Draymond is wearing the same-colored uniform. And don’t be distracted by the dumpster fires. Draymond Green is the Bobby Fischer of basketball. When he sacrifices himself and gets tossed in a dumpster, it isn’t the end of the game. In Daymond’s world, the real game is just beginning. --phood
Dude, one of the best pieces I have ever read on DRAY; reason why I never criticize him. As for the scarlet letter, it has NBA FO gift to wining LBJ written all over it. As for Steph, you are spot-on; don't mind the TOs when double/triple-teamed, it is the boneless ones that are a nuisance. Only thing I can attribute it to is that Steph was not raised as pure PG; he converted to pursue his NBA dream. The game and all Warriors fans should be eternally grateful he did...reason why we tolerate the TO nuisance and folks react passionately to any blasphemer who simply calls it for what it is...
This is great. One minor note: it wasn't technical fouls that got Green suspended in the finals. It was flagrant fouls and that's what made the suspension egregious from the league. To review that play and think it warranted a technical? Understandable. To think it warranted a flagrant? Well....welcome to conspiracy corner.
You are a tremendous writer and I appreciate your deep dives. Also, you put into words thoughts I have been having about Steph Curry, namely, that his mistakes and his virtuosity spring from the same place. Thank you.
Great piece Duby! We have a legit DPOY candidate who passes out assists like Chris Paul? Also the emotional leader of the team who instills fiery confidence? I'm not mad at that.
Sure I'd like him to flash more of the scoring we have witnessed on several occasions over the past, but if this team has the Splash Bros both causing havoc, Dray is the perfect complement IMO.
Would you rather have a player with B+ offense and B- defense? Or a player with D+ offense and A+ defense? I feel like you can build up the B- defense more than the D+ offense. That's where I'm at with Dray. He's an amazing defender and facilitator when they respect his shot. I'm not sure he's helping the offense much in a playoff setting, when they know he isn't capable of scoring. In fact, you might need another all world offensive player to make up the difference.
And honestly if they are a guard, I'd need them to be better than B+ on offense if they are a key guy. Give me guards that play great offense, bigs that play great defense, two-way wings, and I'll give you a contender.
I hear you, but my quibble is that his offense grade is much better than D+. Really, the only problem with his game is scoring, where he gets an F. He creates offense magically, enough that I would rate him decently on overall offense.
Quibbling, but does he /create/ offense or does he exploit/execute what Steph's incredible gravity does to the defense? Because without Steph in the game, I don't know if he's creating much offense, magically or otherwise.
The reason he needs to facilitate exclusively is because his scoring is so awful. On the other hand, if he can hit some spot up 3s and score on a few of those 4 on 3 situations a game, his passing probably opens up further.
This is really the crux of the issue with Green's shooting issues. On the whole, he for sure helps WAY more than he hurts. And as long as the team plans around it, this isn't an unmanageable issue.
But against a smart, high quality defense in a 7 game series? On the other hand though, he seems to be able to turn it on in the playoffs, so I honestly don't know what to make of it other than to be mildly concerned (while still believing in his value).
Also, can he play the 4 in crunch time or in the playoffs? It seems he could only play the 5, with his current shooting/scoring woes. Even then, you need another creator and shooter around him. I think Curry-Poole-Klay-Wiggins/JTA-Green can work well during crunch time even if his scoring regresses further. But is that ideal defensively either?
Nah, you can figure out a way to make it work I think. Those positions are just paper values. With enough offense he and Looney can man the 4/5, and even a guy like Chriss can help punish a defense for throwing an extra man at Steph and ignoring Dray.
Honestly, I was a bit more concerned before I saw all the stats on his season. Green was a critical part of successful units this year - while shooting like crap. Those two truths can coexist even if it's painful to watch sometimes
Green really ought to be able to practice 3pt shots from the top of the arc until he can make uncontested shots more than 30% of the time again. It would make a significant difference to the offense if the opponents couldn't leave him completely unguarded.
Good post, 3D. This season helped me realize how important Green is to Steph. They've got a mind boggling chemistry going on. However, the Warriors are not the team that won 2 rings with KD. Without KD, there is an element missing that Green cannot make up for. He cannot or will not step up his scoring in the face of losing almost 30ppg without KD. You need to score in this league. Even with Klay back, Green needs to tend to the holes in his game and also clean up the passing mistakes. Transition points will kill us on all those TO' that both Steph and Green commit. Even I argue that this comes with the genius of Steph/Green, but I really don't believe it has to. There is something missing in both of their decision making and if it ever changes, no one will beat us. Green has hurt as a lot and I say that without malice. He has toned down his rhetoric and doesn't dog the refs after every call as he used to. He's not ranting and raving any more. This is a real step forward for him. Now, he's got to clean up the TO's and work on his shooting. I can't believe a player of his calibre can't improve his shot.
FWIW, I accidentally typed dubsnationhq dot com and that url isn’t taken. Maybe you guys should grab it to no one else does trying to capitalize on your media empire.
Draymond and Steph both had a couple stinker games this year. And Draymond's brilliance is just a little harder to see, because it most often manifests as things that don't happen—plays the other team doesn't score on—than as things that do. But he is one of the most singularly talented and unique players in the league, and there's nobody I would rather put on the court alongside the Splash Bros to make a contender.
Frankly, even with the wrinkles, the ugly moments, and the disconcerting downward trend in scoring numbers, the performance he put on this year was fantastic, and I still want him to stay on the Warriors until he retires.
No doubt, well-stated, The Dynasty CORE is the Foundation the DUB Team Corps is built around...
Morey fined 75 large for tampering with Steph lololol: https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/daryl-morey-76ers-given-75k-tampering-fine-steph-curry-tweet
Pocket change for those guys. It's probably worth it to him.
Worth what? Being embarrassed on Twitter?
The more I watch all these playoffs, the more I think they’re really wide open and the Warriors would have as much of a chance as anyone else if they’d got Lee and Oubre back. (They were just too ragged after going so long with just 8 players.)
Yeah, it's going to continue to sting that we lost to the Lakers on a highly contested shot-clock-expiring step-back 3 and then blew it to Memphis... Definitely feel like we should've and could've had a better overall showing this season.
Agree; frankly, even the ''ragged'' version may have taken Utah...Full squad, maybe Phoenix, also...lol
I think this Clipper/Jazz series will be instructive as far as how the Warriors would have fared against the Jazz. The Warriors aren't the Clippers offensively obviously but both teams often have a big quickness/athleticism advantage when they go small, especially over a team like the Jazz with guys like Favors, Ingles, and Bogdanovic. They can also force Gobert to the perimeter when they go small, either with Draymond screening for Curry or Batum being a threat from three. Gobert basically carries their defense so if you can neutralize him you can beat them.
If the Clippers go small, I think they will beat the Jazz, and I think it will be confirmation that the Warriors would have beaten them too. Bazemore, Wiggins, and Oubre would have been too athletic for the Jazz while Curry/Green would have gotten Gobert out of his comfort zone.
I think Lue will go small because he went small against the Mavericks but after watching Budenholzer in action I'm going to start evaluating these series on hypotheticals lol.
Superb article, Duby. Enjoyed reading it.
You're the best Dino, thanks man appreciate it!
The Warriors once looked into hiring Mike Budenholzer and thank god that didn't happen. Kerr is lightyears ahead of this idiot. I can't believe what I'm seeing lol, they'd still be losing this game at the half regardless thanks to Middleton's struggles but it didn't have to be game over already.
Giannis is a fucking center in the playoffs, why is he always playing with Lopez or Portis on the floor? Put him at center and put Connaughton in there more with him and switch everything, I thought you traded for Tucker so you could do that?
And say what you want about Frank Vogel but in that second half of the play-in game he started putting AD in motion which made him much tougher for the Warriors to guard thanks to his absurd physical gifts. Giannis' gifts are even more absurd and yet Bud seems committed to using Giannis as the ballhandler against a set defense. That's how you get 2 free throws in a half with Giannis on your team against the Net defense. Maybe they had to do that when they had Bledsoe since he couldn't shoot but you traded the farm for Jrue Holiday to avoid this! At least I thought that was the plan lol.
Down 2-0 as the lower seed is not the end of a series (as the Bucks found out in 2019), plenty of time for adjustments, but I had (clearly unfounded) optimism Bud was going to start the series out this way after the roster changes and all the regular season playstyle changes. He's blowing a winnable series just like Doc did last season, and he'll deserve to be fired if they lose.
They are at least one year late in letting Bud go. Creative adjustments in the playoffs are a must. He has the ingredients to at least threaten to win a Chip, but he's out of recipes. It's a big FO failure and another wasted year for Giannis. Bummer, I like MIL, good group of guys.
It sickens me because I really do think Giannis should be in contention for the best player in the league (along with other guys like Curry of course) but his front office and coach seem set on humiliating him year after year.
How many championships do the Warriors win if Kerr never puts Draymond at center? I think there's a case that the answer is zero, it was absolutely essential against the 2015 Cavs and 2018 Rockets. They might have still won in 2017 but that Cavs team was no joke.
Yep, you covered me. Have felt he was the wrong man for the job since he was hired. Budenholzer didn't win in Atlanta with 5 All Stars. The Bucks have been riding Giannis' athleticism for a long time. Have had a slew of talent go through, but have yet to show the type of team ball/ball movement that wins in playoffs these days. Just a waste of a generational talent.
Giannis had his chance to bolt and refused to do so. We'll see how that works out for him, I guess.
Eh the five all stars thing was overblown, their talent wasn’t that good, the East was turrible. What he’s done the last two plus this postseason is enough to fire him imho.
I agree on the talent; still, 5 All-Stars, at the time...lol
I guess Steve Nash should get some credit, but the Bucks don't even seem prepared for Blake Griffin, Joe Harris, and Bruce Brown.
This is a serious humiliation.
Green narratives. Warriors lose and folks can't stop talking about how D needs to score more. The word is: When Draymond scores 10 or more, the Warriors win ... a lot. The problem is this: that statement, that narrative, is backwards. We think the Warriors win more BECAUSE Draymond scored more. The truth is, Draymond scores more WHEN the Warriors are winning. We do not need Draymond to "shoot 3s and space the floor" so the Warrior's offense works better. We need the Warriors to "space the floor better" so that Draymond can score more. And this is what I feel is wrong with this narrative that, truthfully and sincerely, absolutely overshadowed and nullified our enjoyment of a top 3 DPOY and #4 IN THE LEAGUE in Assists and top 5 Team Defensive year all brought to us by one Draymond Green. The dude had an Epic season and what did everyone do? We awed and gushed over Curry and criticized Green at every turn. The double standard with which Green has been treated in the media this year is heinous. I think a host or 2 on 95.7 gave him a grade of C for the year. A C! (Uh-oh, blood pressure rising) What more does this guy have to do? No Draymond Green and the team has a team defensive rank in the mid-20s or worse. He's worth 7-9 points a night on defense. Someone, please add that to his 7 point offensive average. A little math ... let me get my abacus out .. a few ore calculations ... Ah-ha! 15 points a game. Are you not entertained???
Getting down off my soapbox. sorry about that.
Green is an "opportunistic scorer". His points come on opportunities that are created by space. Yes, wide open 3s in rhythm, gotta take them, work on your shot. But his other scoring comes on drives to the basket and he can't do that without teammates that pose threats in space East, West & North. This year, the Warriors had no one creating vertical threats. Sure, Wiseman did a little, but let's be honest, he just hadn't learned how to use his size to exploit the airspace above the rim. With no Klay, Curry's gravity pulled 2 defenders to his hips, but it also pulled weak side defenders into the lane because no-one seemed to care too much about Oubre or Mulder standing in the corner. With Curry & Klay, you get gravity working East & West and this opens up the lane. The ideal scoring situation for Green is getting a pass from Curry, Curry relocating to a corner, Klay moving on the weak side perimeter & Wiseman loading up in the dunker's spot. Now he has 3 options to pass, and all defenders have to make a choice, chase, sag or block out, and THIS is how Draymond scores. There is a great clip of Wiseman in the high post throwing a pass to Green cutting back door for an easy layup. That is how Draymond scores. It's not Draymond's job to shoot more to create opportunities for his teammates. Rather, Draymond's scoring is a bellwether for the ability and performance of his teammates. Like Kerr said, Draymond's scoring is gravy. It's the team's job to bring the biscuits.
Hell yes!
Bring those biscuits Dubs, especially you Wiggs you are going to get soooo many open looks this coming season so bring those maple cookies!!
Oubre and Knicks? https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/06/knicks-kelly-oubre-may-have-mutual-interest.html
Probably leaked by Oubre's agent? I know Myers said he wasn't going to be in the market for a contract like Oubre is trying to get, and after the season dude just had, they're probably working overtime trying to dredge up interest.
Abaddon writes:
Jarron Collins moving on: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31584971/assistant-coach-jarron-collins-moving-golden-state-warriors-eyes-head-coaching-job
Boy do I hope he lands a head coach job. I think he could be great.
I hope it's in the Eastern Conference so we don't have him scheming against us 4x a season plus throughout the playoffs. ;)
When I was a kid playing basketball I always enjoyed doing the non-flashy things like getting on the loose balls, hitting the assist, taking a charge, hedging someone so bad they throw the ball away, making everyone else better around me - Dray is the embodiment of my childhood basketball dream. He has built a career on being selfless, finding the gaps around Steph and Klays game and filling them with effort and effective play. The guy is unlike any player I have ever seen, and much like a Steph quick release step back 3 makes your jaw drop in awe, so does a Draymond hedge, help and vertical contest. Its a thing of beauty.
So thank you to Draymond for bringing my childhood dream to a reality, you are an amazing baller, and you continue to prove why basketball is a team game. Now get that backpack cranked over the offseason for some high % 3 balls!!
I just want to clarify - I never actually hedged someone so bad they actually threw the ball away. But that was the dream!
Dude, just figured out your handle! Hilarious. You have to feel kind of sad for the folks that don't see Draymond's game. It's like they are watching a thing they call basketball, but they are not really watching basketball. If he was a superhero, he'd be the Invisible Man. His game is so subtle and nuanced and it's just hard for many to see when it's masked with so much emotion and braggadocio.
Wanted to share a piece about Draymond I wrote after Charlotte Game this year.
How to live with Draymond: a primer for the peanut gallery.
Has Draymond Green’s penchant for temper tantrums and ill-timed technical fouls left a bad taste in your mouth? Have you had it up to here with his constant complaining and utter lack of even a mediocre outside shot? Do you bury your head in your hands whenever you think of 4 points, 4 years and 100 million dollars? If so, you may be suffering from Day-Day-ism: a common disease that causes those afflicted to play checkers and act like New York Knick fans. There is no known cure, but with help, this disease can be put in remission.
My name is Peter, I’m a Drayaholic, and here is how I learned to live with Draymond Green, two ‘Day-Days’ at a time.
Draymond Green will always wear a scarlet letter for his suspension in the 2016 finals which most people would agree cost the Warriors a championship that year. I wasn’t upset about the technical he received in game 4. What I can’t forget were the two techs he received, one in the series against Portland, a team that posed no threat to the Warriors, and the other in the first quarter of a meaningless regular season game that year against Utah. Those were the senseless technical fouls that led to Green’s untimely suspension. Those were the technical fouls that should have been avoided. As a fan, that was the part of Draymond’s game I wished he could change. And herein lies the fan’s frustration: why can’t he change? To answer that question, perhaps we could use an assist from Steph Curry, that is, if he doesn’t turn the ball over.
We all love Steph, but as great as he is, I think we can all agree that there is still one negative aspect of his game that we all wish he could fix: the loosey-goosey lazy-ass bonehead passes he throws to opponents on a nightly basis. In general, point guards rack up a lot of turnovers. Its one of the hazards of the job. But these turnovers are in a different category.
Like Draymond’s technicals in meaningless situations, we all wish Steph could just stop with the loosey-goosey turnovers. Our mistake, and never-ending frustration as fans, comes from a belief that Daymond’s Ts and Curry’s TOs are a problem, when in fact, they are quite the opposite.
Curry’s offensive game is a work of high art. He is Miles Davis with a basketball. He doesn’t drive the lane with the precision of a heart surgeon as Kyrie does. Instead, Curry dances with his opponents. Curry doesn’t keep his dribble on a tight string, he is loosey-goosey with the ball, always dribbling the ball in shared space, tempting his opponents to act, and then reacting to their movements with dazzling virtuosity. Steph’s loosey-goosey nature with the basketball is the heart of what makes him a generational talent. You cannot ‘read & react’ like he does if you are reading off sheet music.
This is improvisation at the highest level and it requires Curry to remain ‘loose’. Steph’s lazy turnovers are always frustrating to see, but demanding that he eliminate them from his game is missing the point entirely. Curry’s lazy TOs and his impossible hand-in-face-falling-down-dagger 3-point shots spring from the same source, they are water drawn from the same well. If we want to enjoy Curry’s inspirational brilliance on the basketball court, is it too much to ask from us as fans to shrug off the occasional lazy TO?
The same idea applies to Draymond. Many will protest and say his antics cost GSW the game in Charlotte recently, and worse, the championship in 2016. Are we saying that Curry’s lazy TOs never contributed to a regular season loss? And I seem to remember an ill-advised behind the back pass from Curry in the last 5 minutes of Game 7 of the 2016 Finals that turned out to be a pivotal play in the game the Warriors would ultimately lose. On the surface, an emotional Draymond T comes across as much more egregious than a lazy Curry TO, but these events are equal in their ability to impact a game on the biggest stage.
Returning to Draymond, let’s not forget who this guy is: an annoying pudgy tweener from Saginaw, MI, who would be lucky if he ever developed a mediocre outside shot, who spent a good part of his childhood getting tossed into garbage cans at the local rec center where he fought to get onto the basketball court with the older kids in his neighborhood.
He is a 3-time NBA Champ, an All-Star, a DPOY, regarded by his peers as having one of the highest basketball IQs in the game, he is the ‘heart’ and emotional leader of a legacy franchise. When he is done playing basketball, he could be an agent, he could be a coach, he could be a general manager, and we all know that TNT already has a chair with his name on it, ready for the day that Charles Barkley retires. Think of Draymond’s career so far and what many project to be a very successful career once he is off the court and then think back to that kid alone in the bottom of a garbage can.
If you have a problem understanding Draymond Green, you need to see him in his natural habitat and that is inside that garbage can. This is where the Spirit that made Draymond Green was forged. You could throw him in the can 100 times, but you were not going to keep him off the basketball court. Lacking the physical gifts some players are blessed with, Green was forced to rely on anything and everything else, B-ball IQ, heart, emotion, energy and determination. Spiderman was bit by a radioactive spider, the Green Lantern draws power from his ring, Batman drew his power from a very large bank account, Curry draws his power from a well of infinite Joy and youthful frivolity. Draymond Green? He draws his power from dumpster diving.
While I am not Draymond’s defense attorney, I think it worth pointing out some pertinent facts leading up to his recent outburst in Charlotte. There is a reason Steve Kerr only uses the small ball lineup in limited minutes. If you do it all the time, it will take a mental & physical toll. How many games have the Warriors played 48-small while Wiseman-Looney-Chriss sat with injuries? Kerr commented recently about how much harder it is for Draymond to ‘bring it emotionally’ every night, both for his own play and as the emotional leader of the team. Before every game, Wiggins is tasked with: guard THAT GUY, hit open 3s, if the defense stalls, try and drive or hit a step back 18 footer. That’s his job every night. Meanwhile, Draymond is the defensive captain, middle linebacker and free safety in one, having to guard his own man and help everyone else guard theirs, he is the offensive quarterback, emotional team leader, who has to nursemaid Wiseman when playing and keep a precocious Oubre out of trouble (or Curry’s corner). And while nursing a sore knee and ankle, on the rear end of a road back-to-back, after weeks of shouldering the center position above and beyond his already otherworldly duties, he has to share the court for 34 minutes with a Wannamaker as Curry is a pregame scratch and he has the Warriors up 2 with possession and under a minute to play.
What followed? Day Day snapped and the Refs put him in the proverbial garbage can. The media and fans scream that Draymond’s actions here, and the fact that they clearly cost the Warriors the game, were inexcusable. My take: Draymond needed to reconnect with his power source; Draymond needed a dumpster.
Less we forget, Draymond isn’t playing checkers, focusing on the results of a single regular season game. He isn’t even playing regular chess. Draymond plays the kind of multi-level chess they used to play on the old Star Treks. He is calculating, playing for a single play, a game, a full season, and even a post-career all simultaneously. Sacrificing a regular season game here or there for the bigger picture is peanuts to Draymond, unlike most fans who hang on dearly to the final score of each game. And herein lies the problem many fans have with Draymond and the first signs of Day-Dayism. Everyone throws their arms up in frustration and dismay when Draymond causes himself to get tossed into a dumpster, again, and believe the guy just can’t control himself. But Day-Day dumpster diving is like Superman going into a phone booth. He isn’t looking for half eaten chili dogs, he is getting his super-human spirit back.
Look, as a fan, every now and then, Draymond is going to piss in your canteen. But ten times out of ten, when the grenade lands in your foxhole, he is the guy who is going to jump on it. Like Curry’s lazy-ass loosey-goosey turnovers, Draymond’s outbursts are inextricably tied to that which makes him an incredible talent. Sure, sometimes they are tough to swallow, but you can’t have one without the other. So, my advice to all of those in the peanut gallery who are put off by Draymond’s outbursts is simple:
Take a deep breath, go rinse out your canteen, and pray to God that when the grenade lands at your feet, Draymond is wearing the same-colored uniform. And don’t be distracted by the dumpster fires. Draymond Green is the Bobby Fischer of basketball. When he sacrifices himself and gets tossed in a dumpster, it isn’t the end of the game. In Daymond’s world, the real game is just beginning. --phood
Brilliant. This is insightful and grounded. Well done, Peter.
Any day you can say god liked your article is a good day! tx ;-)
Dude, one of the best pieces I have ever read on DRAY; reason why I never criticize him. As for the scarlet letter, it has NBA FO gift to wining LBJ written all over it. As for Steph, you are spot-on; don't mind the TOs when double/triple-teamed, it is the boneless ones that are a nuisance. Only thing I can attribute it to is that Steph was not raised as pure PG; he converted to pursue his NBA dream. The game and all Warriors fans should be eternally grateful he did...reason why we tolerate the TO nuisance and folks react passionately to any blasphemer who simply calls it for what it is...
This is great. One minor note: it wasn't technical fouls that got Green suspended in the finals. It was flagrant fouls and that's what made the suspension egregious from the league. To review that play and think it warranted a technical? Understandable. To think it warranted a flagrant? Well....welcome to conspiracy corner.
Thanks for the correction, and yes, don't want to go down that conspiracy road again. Already bought my psychiatrist a boat getting over that one.
That is an epic article. Thanks Peter!
Someone get this man his own column lol
We really do need a fan shots section, don't we?
Now that's actually something we are set up to do already!
You are a tremendous writer and I appreciate your deep dives. Also, you put into words thoughts I have been having about Steph Curry, namely, that his mistakes and his virtuosity spring from the same place. Thank you.
Uummmmm......You're wrong.
He’ll actually be the second ban, and I appreciate that his comments were so over the top that it wasn’t a hard decision.
I missed it. I miss everything...
This one wasn’t worth seeing. Just imagine a mad 10 year old yelling.
Thought the action taken was very appropriate. For anyone who remembers the profanity-laced Houston Rocket fan, this guy was along the same lines.
Great piece Duby! We have a legit DPOY candidate who passes out assists like Chris Paul? Also the emotional leader of the team who instills fiery confidence? I'm not mad at that.
Sure I'd like him to flash more of the scoring we have witnessed on several occasions over the past, but if this team has the Splash Bros both causing havoc, Dray is the perfect complement IMO.
Would you rather have a player with B+ offense and B- defense? Or a player with D+ offense and A+ defense? I feel like you can build up the B- defense more than the D+ offense. That's where I'm at with Dray. He's an amazing defender and facilitator when they respect his shot. I'm not sure he's helping the offense much in a playoff setting, when they know he isn't capable of scoring. In fact, you might need another all world offensive player to make up the difference.
Depends on the position.
If that player is a guard, I'd take the former. If that player is a big, I'd take the latter.
And honestly if they are a guard, I'd need them to be better than B+ on offense if they are a key guy. Give me guards that play great offense, bigs that play great defense, two-way wings, and I'll give you a contender.
Lets say it's a THJ or Bogdanovic type player.
I hear you, but my quibble is that his offense grade is much better than D+. Really, the only problem with his game is scoring, where he gets an F. He creates offense magically, enough that I would rate him decently on overall offense.
Quibbling, but does he /create/ offense or does he exploit/execute what Steph's incredible gravity does to the defense? Because without Steph in the game, I don't know if he's creating much offense, magically or otherwise.
Turnovers are also a huge problem. He can't be getting 6 assists and 6 turnovers like he was in the play in games
The reason he needs to facilitate exclusively is because his scoring is so awful. On the other hand, if he can hit some spot up 3s and score on a few of those 4 on 3 situations a game, his passing probably opens up further.
This is really the crux of the issue with Green's shooting issues. On the whole, he for sure helps WAY more than he hurts. And as long as the team plans around it, this isn't an unmanageable issue.
But against a smart, high quality defense in a 7 game series? On the other hand though, he seems to be able to turn it on in the playoffs, so I honestly don't know what to make of it other than to be mildly concerned (while still believing in his value).
Also, can he play the 4 in crunch time or in the playoffs? It seems he could only play the 5, with his current shooting/scoring woes. Even then, you need another creator and shooter around him. I think Curry-Poole-Klay-Wiggins/JTA-Green can work well during crunch time even if his scoring regresses further. But is that ideal defensively either?
Nah, you can figure out a way to make it work I think. Those positions are just paper values. With enough offense he and Looney can man the 4/5, and even a guy like Chriss can help punish a defense for throwing an extra man at Steph and ignoring Dray.
Honestly, I was a bit more concerned before I saw all the stats on his season. Green was a critical part of successful units this year - while shooting like crap. Those two truths can coexist even if it's painful to watch sometimes
Green really ought to be able to practice 3pt shots from the top of the arc until he can make uncontested shots more than 30% of the time again. It would make a significant difference to the offense if the opponents couldn't leave him completely unguarded.
As smart as he is and as proud as he is, do you think it’s a simple as “he needs to practice 3’s more”?
I’d be willing to bet there’s something physical or mental (or both) going on.
Good post, 3D. This season helped me realize how important Green is to Steph. They've got a mind boggling chemistry going on. However, the Warriors are not the team that won 2 rings with KD. Without KD, there is an element missing that Green cannot make up for. He cannot or will not step up his scoring in the face of losing almost 30ppg without KD. You need to score in this league. Even with Klay back, Green needs to tend to the holes in his game and also clean up the passing mistakes. Transition points will kill us on all those TO' that both Steph and Green commit. Even I argue that this comes with the genius of Steph/Green, but I really don't believe it has to. There is something missing in both of their decision making and if it ever changes, no one will beat us. Green has hurt as a lot and I say that without malice. He has toned down his rhetoric and doesn't dog the refs after every call as he used to. He's not ranting and raving any more. This is a real step forward for him. Now, he's got to clean up the TO's and work on his shooting. I can't believe a player of his calibre can't improve his shot.
for now we will keep the announcement post pinned to the top, so whatever the top of the queue "beneath the fold" (as they say in the newspaper biz).
So this is it for today. Daniel will have one tomorrow morning, etc.
Once we fully switch to Dubnation.com next Friday it'll go back to normal
lol!! Whoopsies!!
What can I say, I'm just as new here as everyone else!
FWIW, I accidentally typed dubsnationhq dot com and that url isn’t taken. Maybe you guys should grab it to no one else does trying to capitalize on your media empire.
Lol funny enough, we did put a call in one a related domain name and they wanted $17k
I hope you counter-offered $15,500.