The term clutch defender is rarely used in the NBA, but Draymond Green is proving he’s one of the best in securing a win without the basketball in his hands.
With 2.3 seconds remaining, Green smacked the ball away from Anthony Davis and corralled his fourth steal of the game. In three other wins against Milwaukee, Phoenix and Atlanta, Green came up with some type of steal or block. This ability is becoming an uncanny staple for the Warriors.
Draymond Green strips Anthony Davis with time winding down. https://t.co/G6SHudqATC
— RealGM (@RealGM) December 14, 2016
Green finished with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, his first triple-double of the season, a trivial prize to him.
“Triple-doubles don’t matter to me. To get a stop to win the game, I’d always rather win it like that than win it on the offensive end because you have to dig deep,” Green told reporters in New Orleans. “Especially against a player like Anthony Davis. To get a stop like that, that means a lot more to me.”
“He knows exactly how to impact the game on that end of the floor” Steph Curry said.
Green was questioned why he did try and go for the strip, obviously a very risky play in a two point game. Had he been charged with a foul, Anthony Davis could’ve tied up the game and the Warriors — who were desperate to get on that team flight back to Oakland — might’ve caved on the road in overtime.
But this is Draymond Green: The risk is almost always worth the reward. And he was willing to bet on his knowledge of Davis. Green told CSN Bay Area after the game he’s been studying the Pelicans superstar on film, and knew where he was going to be holding the basketball. Davis was whistled for a technical foul when he threw a tantrum after Green picked his pocket.
“We’re up two and we have three of the greatest scorers in the world,” Green said. “So if I foul…The way I look at it is, defense is my side of the basketball that I try and make everything happen on. Offense is their side of the basketball, they gotta make stuff happen on.
“I don’t want to be the guy that gets scored on for game. It’s always that added element. And I love playing defense…I been clutch my whole life.”