Speaking on 95.7 The Game, Warriors star Draymond Green reflected on his nightmarish run in the 2023-23 campaign. Draymond admitted that he didn’t play or act well and promised to be better for the current season.
“[Last season] I didn’t play well, didn’t act well, and I want to show the real me, I want to show the real growth,” said Green.
At the peak of his career, Draymond was the defensive anchor of a dynasty in the West, along with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and even Kevin Durant for a three-year stretch. Together, the Warriors achieved unprecedented greatness in the West, winning four championships in six trips to the NBA Finals.
But things started to go bad when Kevin Durant left the team in 2019. After Durant signed with the Nets, the Warriors had no means to replace him and it started their decline as the Western Conference favorites.
After one last title run in 2022, the Golden State Warriors endured one of their worst stretches to date, and Draymond’s actions contributed to their steep decline. During an altercation in practice, he punched and knocked out his own teammate, Jordan Poole, and it turned the situation toxic for the entire team.
Last season, Draymond’s repeated outbursts and bully tactics on the court finally reached their breaking point in the form of an indefinite suspension. He was forced to sit for an extended time and later issued an apology for his actions. Unfortunately, the damage was already done.
As a team, the Warriors have never really recovered from Draymond’s antics and some believe his actions may have cost them a chance at another title.
Going into this campaign, however, Draymond is confident that he can lead the Warriors to a better place. In the wake of Klay Thompson’s departure, Green’s role has taken another step up and his defense will be more important than it’s ever been before.
This season, through five games, Green is averaging a modest 6.0 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game but he’s setting the tone defensively for the Warriors and his play on that end has the Warriors ranked 2nd in the NBA on that end of the floor.
This season, at 4-1, the Warriors are already on a much better track to success than they’ve been recently but the hard work is only just beginning. With 70+ games still left to play, anything can happen and it will take complete dedication and focus from the entire team to maintain their current winning rate.
For his part, Draymond just has to keep playing defense and serving as a playmaker alongside Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield, and Jonathan Kuminga. Most importantly, he’ll have to keep his emotions in check and avoid letting himself become a hindrance to his teammates.
At 34 years old, Green doesn’t have much longer before his career is said and done but he’s never been more committed to winning another championship. The Warriors are looking good right now, but it remains to be seen if they can keep up with Western juggernauts like the Timberwolves, Thunder, Mavericks, and the Suns.
If you ask Draymond, this group can beat any team on any given night it’s just a matter of them staying healthy and staying focused on the mission at hand.
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