The Warriors have lost just one game when Draymond Green has recorded a triple double, and they weren’t going to let the shorthanded Sacramento Kings become another anomaly.
The Warriors’ 30-1 record in Green triple-double games is the best for any player with at least 10. It’s a mostly trivial record based on an artificial milestone, but Golden State nonetheless continued the trend Monday.
Green (16 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) led the Warriors to a 113-98 win over the Kings. Both teams were shorthanded due to health and safety protocols; Golden State (25-6) was down two starters while Sacramento had six players unavailable. But the Warriors who did play looked rested, as they won the first quarter by 10 and the fourth 29 to 19.
Here are three takeaways from the win.
COVID concerns rise
Both Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins didn’t suit up Monday, as they’re in health and safety protocols (Steve Kerr said pregame they’re both “doing fine”). During walkthroughs, Warriors director of sports medicine Rick Celebrini reminded the team about mask-wearing and other precautions.
But if you thought the Warriors had virus issues, you haven’t been following the Sacramento Kings.
Six Kings were in health and safety protocols instead of in the Chase Center. De’Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell, Marvin Bagley, Terence Davis, Alex Len and Louis King each were all inactive due to COVID-19. That’s over 60 points per game unavailable.
The Warriors went with a starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Damion Lee, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Sacramento countered with Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Chimezie Metu and Tristan Thompson.
Get used to unorthodox lineups. In just the past week, over 100 players entered health and safety protocols. Games have been postponed. The league approved a rule expanding rosters for replacement players in hopes of avoiding disruption through the COVID-19 surge.
“It’s nerve wracking for everybody,” Kerr said. “It’s tough to be back in this state. Tough for everybody all over the world.”
Assist Of The Night: DJ Green
During a stoppage in the second quarter, Stephen Curry sat on the Warriors’ bench unmasked. But not for long, because a friend of his brought over a face covering. Curry’s helper couldn’t have been more than four-feet tall and just happened to be Draymond Green’s son, Draymond Jr.
DJ Green worked as a de facto equipment manager on Monday night. While he sat on the baseline, his duties included folding towels, assisting the Warriors with their in-game needs and dishing out high-fives and fist-bumps. The four-year-old even joined the team in the locker room for halftime.
Soon after he helped out Curry, DJ’s task was to hand Chris Chiozza a shooting shirt. But he instead gave the blue shirt to Klay Thompson, on the bench in street clothes, who chuckled and passed the shirt to Chiozza sitting to his right. Still working out the kinks of equipment manager life.
Adult-size Green is playing some of the best basketball of his career. Night after night, he’s competing with the fire and love for the game that briefly escaped him for the years following Golden State’s championship runs.
One of the reasons for Green’s rejuvenation is his motivation to show his sons just how great he is. Now that DJ is getting older, Green can start to give his son memories. No better way to do that than have him courtside.
To officially record his first triple double of the season and 31st of his career, Green hauled in a tough rebound in traffic then led a fast break and found Gary Payton II for a swooping and-1. When Green — who also added two steals and two blocks — returned to the bench, DJ was there to hand him a towel.
(Assist Of The Night honorable mention: Andre Iguodala’s magnificent behind the back feed to Otto Porter Jr. late in the fourth)
Finishing strong
In football, two of the most important possessions are at the end of the first half and the start of the second. The best teams can score, get the ball back after halftime, then score again.
It’s not quite the same in basketball, but closing quarters strong is still important.
To end the first half in the Chase Center, the Warriors went on a 12-2 run to make a five-point lead 15. In that spurt, Green scored seven points including two jumpers.
In the third quarter, after Buddy Hield’s 3-pointer gave the Kings their first lead of the game, the Warriors responded with a 7-0 run. They did it with Curry on the bench, powered by pure energy from Green and Payton.
Golden State carried that energy into the fourth quarter when Curry checked back in and nailed two straight 3s and erupted for 15 fourth-quarter points.
The ability to consistently finish periods on a high note is a sign of poise and endurance. The Warriors have both.