Getty Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors defends Anthony Davis.
Draymond Green is taking his matchup with Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis personally — and it showed in Game 1 with the Golden State Warriors coming out victorious 127-100.
After Davis’ enormous Game 1 where he notched 30 points and 23 rebounds, Green took over more full-time duties on the Lakers big man for Game 2. The Warriors moved center and rebounding machine Kevon Looney out of the starting lineup and went smaller, which proved effective in large part because of Green’s abilities on the defensive end.
Green gives up some significant size to Davis but makes up for it with his tenacity. Veteran NBA insider Marc Stein quoted a “well-placed observer” on his podcast “#thisleague” who told him that facing Davis has always added a little extra incentive for Green.
“Draymond has always taken that matchup personally and I think you could really see that in Game 2,” Stein said. “Draymond had just a Draymond game. Really impactful at the defensive end and at the offensive end, the playmaking.”
Green is a former Defensive Player of the Year and has always been the heart of the Warriors’ defense. With Davis getting showered with praise after his Game 1 performance, there’s little doubt Green wanted to shift the narrative.
Davis finished Game 2 with 11 points and 7 rebounds.
Chris Haynes: Draymond Green Toughest Defender for Anthony Davis
Davis is massively talented but he’s never been known as a physical grinder on the court. Green brings physicality to every possession and Chris Haynes — who joins Stein on the #thisleague podcast — believes he’s among the toughest matchups for Davis.
“Draymond is the toughest defender for AD. I don’t know if AD has ever said that or acknowledged that,” Haynes said on the podcast. “Dray has always played AD tough. And you look at AD not being aggressive — that has a lot to do with Draymond. I’m not saying he can’t get his buckets but Draymond is always being physical and pushing him out of his comfort zone. … That matchup has changed the complexion of this series.”
Green said he had played like “s**t” in Game 1 and was appalled watching himself on film.
“[Warriors assistant] Chris DeMarco showed me some film yesterday, and said, I don’t know who this guy is defensively,” Green said after the Game 2 win. “He showed me myself in the fourth quarter and he said, ‘This is I guy I know. So show up that way tomorrow.'”
Anthony Davis Looking Forward to Home Court Edge
Davis credited the Warriors’ adjustments but also felt like it was just a bad shooting night. He was just 5-of-11 from the field, taking around half of the shots he did in Game 1.
“I took all the same shots I took in Game 1, I just missed them,” Davis said. “Elbow jumpers, pocket passes to the floater, same exact looks, didn’t shoot no shot that I didn’t shoot in Game 1, just missed them. Like Bron said, they made adjustments, shot the ball extremely well from 3. We’ll be better, I’ll be better making those shots. Get back home on our home court and take care of business.”
The Lakers are a 3.5-point favorite for the critical Game 3 at Crypto.com Arena.