Golden State Warriors: 5 takeaways from the 2018-19 NBA season

2. Draymond Green proved his worth in the playoffs

All season long, it appeared as though Draymond Green’s physical nature was catching up to him in the worst possible way. His scoring averaged drop to its lowest point since his sophomore season, and five straight runs playing into June seemed to have sapped some of his quickness defensively.

The questions arose regarding his long-term abilities and whether or not Golden State should look to trade its heart and soul before handcuffing itself to his inevitable max contract. Then the playoffs happened, where the three-time All-Star turned it on and showed his worth to the NBA world.

In 22 games, Draymond averaged 13.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks a night. Once KD went down in round two, Green regained more control of the offense and took advantage, pushing the pace any chance he got.

At the other end, the former Defensive Player of the Year was seemingly everywhere on the court and captained the defense. He would switch onto the likes of Damian Lillard, then fall back to wrestle with Pascal Siakam the following series.

Come playoff time, Green is the ultimate example of those who can flip the switch and take his level of play to another level. Built on intangible skills with an unrelenting passion, it’s possible his regular season numbers continue to decline. After the showing he just put on in the 2019 postseason, it’s clear any future championship scenario for Golden State will involve its do-everything forward.