Draymond Green had a chance to seal the game for the Golden State Warriors. Instead, he passed it up. Again and again.
And in that moment, fans saw something familiar. The hesitation, the refusal to shoot, and the extra pass when the defense was already broken. It felt like a flashback to Ben Simmons.
Late in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks, with the score tied at 126, Green had three clean chances to give Golden State the lead.
Draymond Green had a WIDE OPEN 3, floater, and layup to win the game…
HE PASSED UP ALL OF THEM 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/zTCorL1RgD
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) March 24, 2026
The first came after a loose sequence. Green ended up wide open from three for a brief second. No defender near him. Instead of taking the shot, he tried to swing the ball across to Gui Santos. The pass got deflected, but the ball eventually found Moses Moody.
Moody then created an opening and fed Green perfectly. He had space for a floater. Again, no shot. Green hesitated, drove deeper, and tried to force a pass to Santos, which resulted in a turnover.
Then came the third chance. Moody missed a tough three. Green grabbed the rebound and had a clear path for a quick finish. Instead of going up strong immediately, he delayed. The defense recovered. He tried to pass out again to Kristaps Porzingis. The possession collapsed into a forced shot.
Three possessions with three chances to take control, but zero shots taken.
To be fair, context matters. Green finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals. He shot 5 for 11 from the field but missed all five of his three-point attempts. His reluctance from deep is not new. He has been inconsistent for years, and in high-pressure moments, that lack of confidence shows.
Passing up the three-point look is understandable. He was cold, and the percentages support the hesitation.
But the other two moments are harder to defend.
Those were inside looks. A floater and a quick finish. High-percentage plays for any NBA player, especially one with space. Instead, Green defaulted to playmaking, even when the situation demanded scoring.
That is who he is.
Green has built his career on making the right read, not forcing shots. He organizes the offense, finds cutters, and creates advantages for others. His instinct is always to trust the system. But clutch time is different. There are moments when the system breaks, when the defense gives you the shot, when you have to take responsibility and finish the play.
Green did not do that. The Warriors still won, 137-131 in overtime. But the game should not have reached that point. Those missed opportunities in regulation almost cost them.
There was also a bigger blow.
Moses Moody, who led the team with 23 points, suffered a serious-looking knee injury late in overtime. That moment overshadowed the win and added concern for a team already fighting to stay in the play-in race.
Golden State improved to 34-38. They snapped a three-game losing streak. But the bigger takeaway sits with Green. He has to shoot. Not every time or recklessly. But when the defense gives him open looks in clutch moments, he has to trust himself.
Because passing up those shots does not create better ones. It creates doubt.
