Christian Peterson/Getty Images Draymond Green
It’s been no secret that the Golden State Warriors have missed Draymond Green this month. Green has missed 11 games this month, the Warriors have posted a record of 6-5 in those games. While that record isn’t terrible, the team initially lost five of their first seven before their current four-game winning streak.
In those first seven games without Green, the Warriors’ offense really struggled. The team averaged just 108.4 points per game, which doesn’t sound terrible, but during that stretch, the Warriors scored 138 and 117 in two of those games. If you take those two games away, the Warriors averaged just 100.8 points per game.
Green has some big ideas as to why.
Why the Warriors Miss Green
It’s been obvious for years that Green is the team’s best defender and best facilitator. He leads the team in assists this season with 7.4 per game and is also the team’s leading rebounder at 7.6 per game. The reasons the Warriors miss Green goes beyond just the numbers though, he appeared on former NBA guard JJ Redick’s on The Old Man and The Three podcast earlier this week, where he discussed his impact on the Warriors.
“For me, people see the system and people say ‘he’s the main facilitator,'” Green said. “It’s not only that I am the main facilitator it’s that I … not so much to Steve Kerr’s liking … just stand at the top of the key. When I get the ball out I reverse it and change sides of the floor. I think that’s the biggest difference.
“Obviously Steph [Curry] has to do a lot more off the dribble when I’m not playing as opposed to he doesn’t have to be on the ball as much when I am playing because I sort of shoulder all of those responsibilities. The same shots that he gets off the catch or off the move when I’m playing, it’s not as simple because that’s kind of my role on the team is handling a lot of those responsibilities and allowing him to freely move.”
Head coach Steve Kerr echoed those statements recently when he said the team’s pace wasn’t the same without Green. He also has often been lauded for his leadership on the Warriors throughout his career, which he also spoke about.
“I’m always teaching because I’m like the coach on the floor for us,” Green added. “I’m always teaching guys how to find (Curry), what to do when we’re pointing out there and nothing drives me more crazy than sitting at home right now and not being able to point and direct guys.”
When Will Green Return?
Green has been nursing a lower back injury for most of this month and it remains unclear when he will return. The latest report is that he will be re-evaluated on January 30. Hopefully, the team will get news on Green during that re-evaluation.
The good news is it seems like the Warriors have figured out how to play without Green. The Warriors have won four games in a row and have averaged 113.25 points per game during the streak. Klay Thompson seems to be rounding into form over the last two games, averaging 19 points per game on 53.5% shooting from the field and 57.1% from three. The Warriors’ ball movement has been phenomenal as well, averaging 31 assists over the last two games.