Getty Draymond Green reacts to a foul in a game against the Phoenix Suns.
Draymond Green can’t remember the last time the Golden State Warriors had a four-point lead with a minute left in a game and found a way to lose.
That was exactly the fate the Warriors suffered in their loss to the Charlotte Hornets, a game in which they squandered a comeback and blew a late lead. Green shared some criticism of the team after the October 29 loss, putting himself and his teammates on notice but saying they still have time to turn things around.
Green Critical of Warriors’ Communication in Loss
Speaking to reporters after the loss, Green said the Warriors made too many mistakes down the stretch of the 120-113 overtime loss to the Hornets. The Warriors were losing by 13 at halftime but came roaring back after halftime, winning the third quarter 33-18 to take a lead into the fourth.
The Warriors still held a four-point lead as the final minute approached, but watched the Hornets tie the game late to force overtime and then pull away in the extra frame.
Draymond Green: “We were up four with a minute left. We never lose those games.”
Green said his team needs to learn some winning habits, though isn’t ready to hit the panic button just yet.
“I think it’s just communication issues,” Green said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “And that’s something I know we’re capable of correcting, so it’s not quite something that I’m overly concerned about. But we can’t keep talking about, ‘We need to do it,’ either.
“Six games in, not going to overreact. But we also got to build good habits, and at times we’re doing that, and at times we’re not. So we just need to be more consistent with it.”
But with the Warriors falling to 3-3 in a competitive Western Conference, Green said the team doesn’t have forever to get things back on track.
“I don’t think anybody’s going to be willing to wait much longer and say, ‘Alright, we’ll get there,’ ” Green said. “No, we know what it takes to win a championship. We know the habits that have to be built in order to compete for a championship.
“So hopefully, sooner rather than later.”
Warriors’ Young Players Moving into Bigger Roles
The Warriors may have more of a learning curve this season given the makeup of the team and the more important roles their young players are assuming. Both of last year’s lottery picks, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, are expected to move up in the rotation after spending their rookie season adjusting to the NBA.
It has not always been a smooth transition. Kuminga has struggled this season, finding himself at the back end of head coach Stever Kerr’s rotation. As the San Francisco Chronicle’s C.J. Holmes noted, Kuminga is averaging just 3.0 points on 36% shooting this season and has been a negative plus-minus in every game.
Steph Curry’s message to Jonathan Kuminga after a DNP tonight: “We’ve all been there.”
Full soundbite on Kuminga’s situation
Like Green, Kerr is taking a patient approach and said he believes Kuminga will work his way back into the rotation.
“It just takes time,” Kerr said. “It takes time to learn everything that’s coming at you, to develop … As long as JK keeps working, keeps developing, things are going to work out fine for him, he’s going to get his chance, usually sooner rather than later in this league.”