Getty Images Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
Draymond Green threw some shade at his former Golden State Warriors teammate Kevin Durant after beating the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.
Green was asked about Curry taking on more of the more offensive load through the first two games of the series than in the past, averaging 31.5 points. Green was quick to say that’s nothing new and that Curry has always been the alpha dog on that end of the floor — even when Durant was wearing blue and yellow.
“I think our offense is always a lot of Steph. It all starts with Steph,” Green said in his postgame press conference. “When KD was here, our offense still started with Steph. That’s the way it’s going to be.”
Green’s not wrong, with Curry averaging more points than Durant in all three seasons they combined forces for. However, Durant won the Finals MVP both times they won the title, stepping up on the biggest stage.
It’s not the first time Green has caused a bit of controversy by pitting the former MVPs against each other. Green made some waves by saying Curry was double-teamed “seven times more” than Durant was during their time as teammates.
Durant replied to the clip, tweeting, “From my view of it, this is 100% false.”
Green Credits Balanced Scoring, Lack of Turnovers
Curry scored 29 points in 32 minutes in Game 2 against the Celtics, leading the charge during a haymaker-filled third-quarter rally.
“I thought he was incredible,” Green said. “Most importantly, his decision-making was great. He got off the ball, he didn’t drive into traffic, he took what the defense gave him.”
Outside of Curry, the scoring was well-balanced for the Warriors, who had four other players in double figures. Jordan Poole led the way from that group, notching 17 points, which included a wild half-court shot at the end of the third.
Green pointed to that relatively balanced attach and winning the turnover battle as key catalysts in evening up the series.
“I think when you’re playing against a team like that, you have to get offense from other places and not just Steph,” Green said. “I think for the most part, we did a pretty good job of that. You know, Klay, what, 4-for-19, had a tough one, but that happens. We know he’ll make shots as this series continues to go on.
“But we didn’t turn the ball over, and I thought that was very important in this game is keeping them out of transition and making them play against our defense.”
Green Thinks Steph Curry’s Defense Deserves More Credit
While Curry has made himself a household name thanks to his offensive skill set, his defense has come a long way. Green — a former Defensive Player of the Year — is loving what he’s seeing from Curry on that end, saying he doesn’t get credit for his defense.
“He never does. I’ve been talking about it the last couple years how much he’s improved on that side of the ball. Teams used to try to call him into every action, and just try to pick on him,” Green said. “That doesn’t work anymore. He sits down, he guards, and you know, we all are there behind him if he does need help. But he hasn’t been needing that often, and it’s great.”
As a team, the Celitcs shot just 37.5% from the field in Game 2 and Curry made an impact with three steals. The series now shifts back to Boston on Wednesday for Game 3.