SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green didn’t want to speak much about Klay Thompson in advance of Thompson’s Bay Area return. He declined any denser interviews on it and, when lobbed a Thompson question in a Sunday news conference, ignored and pivoted the conversation toward the NBA Cup.
This appeared to be part of a deliberate tactic from Green, a defensive mechanism of sorts, downplaying as a way of suppressing any sentimental emotion that could negatively impact his ability to win a basketball game. He even asked a Warriors PR staffer to give him an advance copy of Thompson’s tribute video so he could absorb it, flush it and then not pay attention when it popped up on the Chase Center big screen five minutes before tip-off Tuesday.
As the video faded, the Warriors’ crowd, equipped with 18,000 sailor hats in honor of Thompson, tipped their caps and showered him with appreciation. It was an impactful act for just about everyone in the arena.
“I don’t give a damn about them tipping no hats,” Green said. “For him, yeah. He took it all in. That was great. But that wasn’t my moment. That was Klay Thompson’s moment. That’s for him to get emotional about. I’ll tip my cap to him when he takes me on his boat this summer. Ain’t tipping no cap today.”
Draymond Green said he watched Klay Thompson’s tribute video early to avoid emotion and come out locked in: “I don’t give a damn about them tipping no hats.” pic.twitter.com/MECXQm8FGk
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 13, 2024
Green’s job is to funnel all his energy and attention into basketball fury toward an opponent. When at his best, he’s typically at his fiercest. Considering the condensed nature of the expected West standings, any conference game is a large game. It’s possible the Warriors and Mavericks could sit side-by-side come April. There was a heartwarming aspect to Thompson’s return. But players, behind the scenes, kept reminding that there were also actual stakes.
Green acted accordingly, blocking out the nostalgia and hunting down the Mavericks. In the eventual 120-117 win, his fingerprints were everywhere. Defended in the opening minutes mostly by Thompson, his 12-year teammate, Green nailed a corner 3 over a late contest and roared in Thompson’s face. He is now 16-of-35 from deep this season.
A minute later, Green shut off a passing lane to Daniel Gafford on a Luka Dončić drive and then, when Dončić kicked it out to Naji Marshall on the left wing, Green flew out and blocked Marshall’s attempted 3, catching the ricochet before it landed out of bounds and saving into De’Anthony Melton, who scored in transition. Jason Kidd called a timeout in Green’s vicinity. As he did, Green stared him down.
“(Assistant coach) Chris DeMarco said he was playing like it was Game 7 of the finals,” Steve Kerr said.
Here’s the sequence.
So much of the Mavericks’ offense is predicated on their two star scorers drawing defensive attention and using that gravity to create either open 3s or lobs. Green, playing more small-ball center the last two games than the previous nine, wiped away several lobs — either deterring them from being thrown or, in these two cases, whacking away a steal into a Warriors’ transition opportunity when Kyrie Irving tried to go up top to Gafford.
The Warriors currently have a 108.0 defensive rating, ranked fourth in the league. That improvement into the league’s elite is because of improved perimeter personnel on the ball, better early season performances from Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney and an added emphasis from the coaching staff. But it’s also because Green looks every bit of a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate in the opening month, even if he’s not nearly the athlete and leader he used to be.
“He’s been unreal,” Stephen Curry said. “Truly motivated. He’s moving well. He’s locked in mentally. He’s being the dog that he is and impacted the game on that end of the floor. Today was no different than I’ve felt all year. All the conversations we had were about how we stay mentally locked in and not let the emotions get the best of us. He’s been all-world defensively.”
The final five minutes of Thompson’s return game will be remembered most for Curry’s individual 10-0 run, punctuated by a deep 3 and animated celebration. He was the offensive star. But, as has been the case for years, Green cleaned up on the other end in the closing moments, including his highlight of the game, which a few players were raving about in the locker room postgame.
With 2:20 left and the Mavericks up one, Dončić drew both Wiggins and Curry on a perimeter screen, leaving Green behind them to cover up both Gafford and a cutting Quentin Grimes. Dončić saw an open pass to Gafford near the right block. He pinpointed it. Gafford went up for a dunk. Green recovered in time to wipe it away, staring down Gafford on the ground as the Warriors raced the other direction.
On a night celebrating the Warriors’ departed legend, their two current legends ensured Thompson wouldn’t leave the building with a win.
“Steph on the offensive side,” Kerr said. “Draymond on the defensive side. Amazing to watch those guys still after all these years.”
Required Reading
(Photo of Draymond Green: Cary Edmondson / Imagn Images)
