Golden State Warriors: 5 Adjustments For Game 3

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May 5, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts after missing a basket while being fouled during the fourth quarter in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies at Oracle Arena. The Grizzlies defeated the Warriors 97-90. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Draymond Green Staying Out Of Foul Trouble

In my humble opinion, Draymond Green deserved to win Defensive Player of the Year. He’s a Swiss Army knife who can defend all five positions and his versatility allows the Dubs to switch on pick and rolls in most situations. But because of early foul trouble in each game of this series, he hasn’t been able to get in much of a rhythm on either end of the floor.

In Game 1, he started off hot with a couple of threes, but he only finished the game with 16 points and four fouls. In Game 2 it was even worse, since Green had to sit for long stretches because of the foul trouble. Andrew Bogut also got into foul trouble, giving Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph a field day inside. The good news is, Green is well aware that this team needs to respond:

Draymond: "Now it's time to strap up and show what we're made of"
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) May 7, 2015

Green hasn’t shot the ball well, but he spread the floor on offense. He’s a tremendous passer, a phenomenal defender against a physical Grizzlies interior duo and he does the little things that help the Warriors win. If he can’t avoid foul trouble, we very well could have a toss-up series.

During the regular season, foul trouble wasn’t a prevalent issue for him, even in the game the Dubs lost in December with Bogut sidelined. Green shouldn’t hold back on the defensive end, but he needs to avoid letting Gasol or Z-Bo put him on the bench as much as he possibly can.

Next: No. 1

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