Golden State Warriors: 5 Keys To Avoiding Elimination In Game 5
3. Green Breaking Through
No one should be too surprised at Draymond Green’s offensive struggles against the Oklahoma City Thunder in this series.
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In three regular season meetings against OKC, Green’s offense dropped to 8.3 points per game on 33.3 percent shooting from the field, 20 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from the foul line.
Through the first four games of this series, Green’s numbers have been similarly alarming: 11.3 points per game on .333/.167/.765 shooting splits.
But the Warriors have never relied on Green primarily for his offense, and his contribution in every other category has been just as underwhelming.
Draymond Green addressed team in lockerroom postgame. Asked all to look in the mirror, be accountable & admitted he needs to be better.
— Ros Gold-Onwude (@ROSGO21) May 25, 2016
In those three regular season meetings — all wins — Green found other ways to have a positive impact, putting up 12.3 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game with a plus/minus of +8.7.
In four playoff meetings, that production has completely tailed off to 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per game with a -12.3 plus/minus.
In the last two games alone, he’s posted the worst plus/minus in NBA playoff history over a two-game span.
Oklahoma City has not been kind to Draymond Green. pic.twitter.com/vENp9ZsryJ
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 25, 2016
With Green not contributing on the scoreboard, failing to provide his trademark defense and not being as involved in setting up teammates or pulling down rebounds, his struggles have been impossible to ignore on either end of the floor.
People will point to the Steven Adams incident and all the talk about Green not getting suspended as the distraction/culprit, but the truth is that Draymond has had problems scoring against the length of Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka in all seven matchups with this team.
"This is the first time in my life I didn't respond to critics" -- Draymond Green just now in the visitors' locker room
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 25, 2016
That may not change in Game 5, but whether it’s more Green-Curry pick-and-rolls, putting the ball in his hands at the top of the key or whatever other out-of-the-box solution Kerr can think of, the Warriors have to find a way to coax out the facilitating, rebounding, human Swiss Army knife version of Draymond Green they enjoyed all season long.
Next: No. 2