Draymond Green sometimes plays the role of on-court coach for his Golden State Warriors teammates, directing players and helping them get into place on offense.
In the team’s last win, Green had the chance to play the role of coach from the bench — for his own coach. Green provided some important mid-game insight to Warriors coach Steve Kerr in the team’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, helping him to re-focus and ultimately lead his team to a blowout win.
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Green’s Advice to Kerr
After struggling with turnovers during the first half, the Warriors pulled away late to defeat the Hornets 114-92. As Kerr told reporters after the game, he had his own mid-game turnaround thanks to some candid advice from Green. When a reporter asked why he gave an emphatic fist-bump during the third quarter, Kerr said he was thinking back to Green’s advice to him.
“The first quarter, I was so disgusted with our play I was pouting, and my body language was terrible,” Kerr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “Draymond even told me that, and I was kind of embarrassed. I was like, ‘you know what, you’re right.’ After all the turnovers, I’m just setting there like, ‘Fine. Whatever.’ You know? Acting like they were on their own out there. It was not my best moment as a coach and so it was great for Draymond to remind me that they need my energy too. So maybe that fist pump came after Draymond mentioned that.”
Kerr and Green have maintained a close relationship that expands beyond the Warriors. The Golden State coach was an assistant for the U.S. men’s basketball team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo this summer, where Green played an important role in helping to win the gold medal.
Warriors Maintain Hot Start
Though Kerr may have needed some advice to stay on track against the Hornets, the veteran coach has gotten the Warriors off to a hot start and a defensive effort unmatched over more than a decade. Golden State’s record is tied for best in the NBA and its defensive rating of 97.8 is the best since the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons.
Their 97.8 defensive rating is the lowest since the 2003-04 Pistons.
They are 6-1, tied for the best record in the NBA.
Kerr credits the final player added to the Warriors roster as a big part of that defensive turnaround. Guard Gary Payton II, who was not added to the roster until hours before the team’s season-opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, has quickly moved from a role as a defensive specialist inserted in specific situations to a member of the regular rotation.
In Wednesday’s win over the Hornets, Payton scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 17 minutes. He added five rebounds, three steals, one block and one assist. After the game, Kerr was full of praise for the guard who has bounced around the league before finally finding a home in Golden State.
“He dominated the game while he was out there and just changed everything with his defense, his activity,” Kerr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “He had three steals, but I think he had several more deflections that may have led to steals.
“He is just an electric athlete. It’s hard to stand out on an NBA floor, athletically, because all those guys are the world’s greatest athletes. And he jumps off the page.”
Warriors’ Steve Kerr Explains Why Draymond Green Called Him Out In-Game