Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has more experience than most players in the NBA postseason. As a 4x champion, Draymond is a proven winner, and it’s no surprise what he thinks about potentially facing LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers this spring.
“Anytime we face LeBron [James], it’s always cinematic, it’s always an incredible challenge,” said Green. “That’s always fun. But, honestly, all three of those teams are going to be tough. Look at two through eight, it’s kind of right there. Any path you go through is going to be tough; all the teams in the Western Conference are good, so it really doesn’t matter to me. When we’re healthy, I like our chances against anyone.”
The Warriors and Lakers play tonight for their final matchup of the 2024-25 season. Unlike their previous meetings, both teams are trending up right now after midseason trades brought major changes to their rosters.
The Lakers, who are currently third in the West, pose arguably the biggest threat to the Warriors. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves are a powerful trio that is nearly impossible to contain, and JJ Redick has the whole team playing with passion and purpose.
The last time the Warriors faced them in the playoffs, they lost the series in six games, but Draymond is confident things will turn out differently this time. Besides himself and the impactor 2x MVP Stephen Curry, the big difference this year is the addition of Jimmy Butler, who has breathed new life into the organization.
Coming from Miami, Butler was chosen for his ruthless competitive nature and elite talent on both ends of the floor. In 23 games for the Warriors this season, Butler is averaging 17.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 45.3% shooting.
Since his arrival, the Warriors have become an entirely different team. They went from 10th in the West all the way to fifth thanks to an 18-2 record with Butler in the lineup. Now, they are right in the thick of the Western bracket, just two games back from the second seed.
The real fight is in the NBA playoffs, and Draymond knows there is still work to be done before the first round. If it started today, Golden State would face the Denver Nuggets in the first round, and it would be an extreme challenge. Nikola Jokic is on a tear right now, and the Warriors have no way to contain him with such a thin frontcourt rotation.
The second round could prove even more challenging for the Warriors. If the playoffs started today, they’d likely face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West Semifinals. The Thunder have the best record in the league this season at 64-12 and are being led by the MVP frontrunner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
That’s not to mention the Los Angeles Lakers, who have found new life in the Luka Doncic era. After the blockbuster trade, JJ Redick has the team playing smart basketball, and tonight we’ll get to see how they match up against Curry and the new-look Warriors.
As it stands, the Western Conference is absolutely stacked, but Draymond Green still believes that his team can get it done. As 4x champions, the Warriors have done enough to earn the benefit of the doubt, but the road ahead will be anything but easy.
