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The Golden State Warriors find themselves at a crossroads with their record of 11-10 following their most recent loss of 111-107 to the Boston Celtics. They were led by their two-time MVP Steph Curry who scored 38 points on 12-21 shooting, grabbing 11 rebounds, and piling 11 assists.
Two of the other Warrior staters, Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr., both combined for 27 points, 15 for Wiggins and 12 for Oubre Jr. The swingman additionally shot a combined 2-11 from behind the three-point line. Not the types of performances the team would have hoped from them to be able to supplant the production of their All-Star guard Klay Thompson.
However, neither are the players media members have been focused on lately. It’s their Defensive Player of the Year and star forward who received criticism from an ESPN analyst and former NBA champion.
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Perkins Wants a ’20-point game’ From Green
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ESPN NBA analyst and former Boston Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins is known for calling out players who he believes should be performing better. This time is no different.
Recently, Perkins called out Warriors forward Draymond Green for needing to “actually start showing up in the stat sheet.” Expanding upon this, he joined the “Dubs Talk” podcast with Grant Liffmann and explained the Green he would like to see on the floor for the remainder of the season.
“I want to see that Draymond, like, that Draymond back then when he would erupt for a 20-point game, even a 30-point game,” Perkins stated on the podcast via NBC Sports Bay Area. “Right now, I understand him making winning plays, but it’s time for us to see that 20-point game.”
“I knew Steph [Curry] was going to come back on an MVP-type of mission, which he is.” “And I thought Draymond was going to come back to have really something to prove after kind of having a down year last year, statistically-wise,” Green quipped. “I thought Draymond, with Klay being out, would be able to give you at least 15 or 16 points a night. Some of these games, Steph’s not going to be able to score 50 or 60 every single game.”
“I give Draymond his props.” “People don’t understand him as a player. I understand what he brings to the table, as far as making winning plays that don’t show up in the stat sheet.”
Green is Optimistic About His Physical Condition
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Despite the criticism that has followed Green this season, and some of the controversies, he isn’t phased by any of it. After the team’s win against the Detroit Pistons, he openly spoke about how soon he will be back in good shape and he feels about it.
“I think I’m like two to three weeks away,” Draymond said to reporters following the win via NBC Sports. “Just continuing to get in better shape. My speed is kind of getting there.
“It’s definitely coming. I’m excited about it. It’s good to see the work starting to pay off. Starting to build up some continuity and some feel.”
Green would add a dynamic scoring punch to this current Warriors team if he’s able to get in top-tier shape and regain some of his scoring prowess. For the better of this team and this soon, it may need to happen sooner than three weeks.
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