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Golden State Warriors: Is Draymond Green The Best PF In The NBA?

By Gerald Bourguet

December 25, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates in the fourth quarter of a NBA basketball game on Christmas against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 89-83. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
December 25, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates in the fourth quarter of a NBA basketball game on Christmas against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 89-83. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors
November 28, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates against the Sacramento Kings during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Green’s Career Year

Green has gone from being everyone’s favorite underrated player to the team’s indisputable X-factor to a bonafide star in his own right in a very short span of time. It’s only natural to want to pump the brakes on such a rapid progression in his game, but Draymond Green is the rare breed of player that talks a lot of trash and somehow manages to back it up.

After earning a five-year, $82 million extension over the summer, Green is not showing any signs of being content with a championship ring and his new payday. He’s averaging an incredibly well balanced 14.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game, but he’s also shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three-point range.

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    • With Green posting career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, field goal percentage, three-point attempts, three-point percentage AND minutes, it’s no wonder the Dubs remain dangerous — even on nights when Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are off.

    Curry’s shooting, ball handling and pick-and-roll abilities make him the instigator of the NBA’s league-leading offense, but Green is often the one who personally delivers the crushing blow with teams desperately doubling the league’s reigning MVP to take the ball out of his hands.

    At that point, Green has a field day as the team’s secondary playmaker who’s more than capable of exploiting 4-on-3 and 3-on-2 mismatches. Even when he’s not in attack mode, Green’s vastly improved three-point stroke also makes him a deadly pick-and-pop option.

    So far this season, he’s tied with Rajon Rondo for the most triple-doubles in the league (four), he’s got eight double-doubles, he recorded the NBA’s first “five-by-five” since 2012 (24-11-8-5-5) and he’s been staggeringly close to triple-doubles on NINE other occasions:

    • 12/25 vs. Cavaliers: 22 points, 15 assists, 7 rebounds
    • 12/18 vs. Bucks: 21 points, 8 assists, 9 rebounds
    • 12/11 at Celtics: 24 points, 8 assists, 11 rebounds
    • 12/6 at Nets: 22 points, 7 assists, 9 rebounds
    • 11/30 at Jazz: 20 points, 8 assists, 12 rebounds
    • 11/12 at Timberwolves: 23 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds
    • 11/7 at Kings: 10 points, 7 assists, 9 rebounds
    • 11/6 vs. Nuggets: 12 points, 8 assists, 9 rebounds
    • 11/2 vs. Grizzlies: 11 points, 8 assists, 9 rebounds

    Not bad for a 6’7″ power forward who was once considered a tweener.

    Next: Green's Importance To The Warriors

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