NBA Finals: Did the real Draymond Green just stand up?

Draymond Green divides opinions like no other. A fierce presence, he never shies from speaking his mind, putting teammates and opponents in place. A hard taskmaster, he even whips himself into shape if necessary. Over this gruelling NBA Finals, particularly after Game 3, Green did just that! After that defeat, he gave himself the tongue lashing his game deserved, perhaps before anybody else could remind him of the stinker he had just doled out. When I think of Green, I am immediately reminded of Rick Dalton ripping himself to shreds for fluffing his lines in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Imagine big, hulking Draymond staring at the mirror, cursing himself into purgatory, tossing and turning at his sudden incompetence only to come out and drop an instant classic.

Also Read: NBA Finals, Game 5: Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics quarter-by-quarter breakdown

While Draymond’s struggles in the Finals have been pored over with microscopic precision, his finest hour has gone largely unnoticed. Game 5 might have been about Andrew Wiggins’ brilliance and Stephen Curry going cold, but Green was at his pesky best. His numbers aren’t exemplary-8 points, 6 assists and 7 rebounds- but the 6 feet 6-inch colossus was the motive force behind Golden State’s crucial win. On a night when their sharpshooters faltered, the Dubs had to rely on less glamourous aspects to snatch the initiative from Boston. Tight in defence, the Warriors’ were a disruptive tour-de-force last night, channelling the spikiness of their ringleader in the dark arts, Draymond Green himself. It was in evidence when Gary Payton II and Green double-teamed on Jayson Tatum during a dead ball to prevent him from getting into shooting rhythm just as Celtics’ Udoka had called time-out deep into the final quarter. Unable to sneak a shot, Tatum walked off with the ball in hand, but Green marched behind him all the way to the Boston bench, drawn by the smell of Horween leather. It’s the kind of villainy that unsettles opponents; makes them feel his warm breath on their shoulders even more acutely.

While the intangibles swirl in the wind when the discussion veers to Green, there are cold numbers to back up this assertion. As per NBA stats, The Celtics are shooting 7-for-23 (30.4%) against Green against their average of 49.3%. The drop-off is alarming! Defensively, he has been quite at-par, but where most critics mouth off on him is his falling numbers offensively. With only 17 points (combined with 18 fouls) in the first four games, his contributions to the Golden State offence are minimal. Yet to lace a three-pointer in 11 attempts, his record in the playoffs is an abysmal 6-for-34! Although not the powerhouse of old, Draymond’s returns in the playoffs have been the worst since his rookie season. But with Curry, Thompson and Poole in the side, lasering in three-pointers isn’t a requisite for Green. But dominating the paint most certainly is! If he produces more moments like the sublime fake-and-dunk past a stunned Robert Williams III, Golden State are likely to be unsurmountable, even when their best bets are off-pace.

Also Read: Why Stephen Curry-Klay Thompson duo are called ‘Splash Brothers’

In a sense, Game 5 was a bit of a revival for the 32-year-old. Chomping to get into the skin of the fight, Green turned up when the Warriors needed him most. His contributions did not go unnoticed either, with Coach Kerr first in line to offer his praises:

“That’s a guy I’ve been watching for eight years. He’s all over the place defensively. He’s distributing the ball. He’s bringing that intensity and competitiveness and energy. I thought Draymond was brilliant,” quotes the Athletic.

But take it from the man himself:

“I felt more like myself, aggressive on both ends of the ball. But I felt a little more like myself in Game 4, as well, after an atrocious Game 3. But you’ve just got to continue to build. … I look forward to going into Game 6 with the same energy and effort.”

Draymond will renew hostilities with the Boston crowd as the Finals caravan rolls into Game 6. If the Warriors close out the series at the Celtics’ home, expect the most unwanted Green mist to spread across an arena bathed in the same.