Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green racked up his seventh career postseason triple-double during a 110-99 Game 3 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference finals on Saturday night. Green scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, dished out 12 assists, made four steals and blocked a shot in one of the most complete all-around games of his career.
“I don’t even know what to say about Draymond,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He was like a wrecking ball out there. He was just destroying everything in his path. The pace that he was generating was incredible, and it just seemed like he never got tired. … It’s one of the best games I’ve ever seen Draymond play.”
Green set the tone for a Warriors team that fell into an 18-point hole in the first half and was down 14 with 8:08 left in the third quarter. His ability to push the tempo and get the rest of his teammates to feed off his energy propelled the Warriors to a victory that leaves them just one win shy of earning their fifth straight NBA Finals appearance, something that hasn’t been done since the 1960s Boston Celtics.
“I mean, his stat line’s ridiculous,” Warriors swingman Klay Thompson said. “Four steals, doing it on both ends, plus-16. But it’s nothing new. I’ve seen him do it for seven years. … He makes us go, especially when we push that pace. I’m proud of Dray, and he’s not satisfied.”
Green, who has long been considered the emotional engine of the Warriors during their dynastic run over the past five years, made an interesting acknowledgement on Saturday night regarding just how important it has been for him to keep that emotional fire in check over the past few weeks.nike nfl jerseys cheap china
“My teammates always tell me, ‘We follow your body language,'” Green said.
After picking up four technical fouls early in the postseason, Green said he was able to refocus on avoiding confrontations with officials. Seven technical fouls in the postseason earn an automatic one-game suspension, something Green knows he can’t afford, especially as the Warriors try to continue winning without injured stars Kevin Durant (calf) and DeMarcus Cousins (quad).
“I think it definitely helps the energy of the guys,” Green said of keeping his negative interactions with the officials in check. “I still like to pick and choose my spots. Sometimes I may take a tech, but that’s more mindful than just getting a tech. Sometimes I know like, ‘All right, I need an energy burst, maybe I’ll take one.’
“But sometimes I’m not mindful and I’ll get a tech, and that will just kill the energy of our team. I’ve been really focused and locked in on that, and I realized I got to a point where I was doing more crying than playing. I’m sure it was disgusting to watch because I felt disgusting playing that way, and I just wanted to lock back in on the game.”
