Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green clinched the victory against the Atlanta Hawks with his defense the first time this season. Can he do it again?
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On the heels of winning against the New York Knicks on Sunday, the Golden State Warriors have a chance to start a winning streak on Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Having to play the Hawks off on the back end of back-to-back games is going to be a difficult task and one where the Warriors are going to have to lock in defensively. It all starts with Draymond Green.
When the Warriors defeated the Hawks back in November, 105-100, the victory was sealed courtesy of a big defensive stand against Green. It shouldn’t come as a surprise if the Warriors come out with tired legs on the road.
However, this is where they really have to buckle down and pick up a big win on the road. They can’t afford to drop any more games on this road trip and allow the San Antonio Spurs to pull closer to them in the standings.
This is a test for Golden State and it’s a big one. The Hawks are a playoff team in the Eastern Conference and one that has given the Warriors seemingly everything they can handle when they play each other. If Stephen Curry can’t get his shot to fall and this game turns into an offensive struggle on the road, Green’s going to be key to winning.
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He’s going to have to use his versatility to guard Paul Millsap up high and down in the post. He’s also going to be tasked with cutting off Dennis Schröder when he rolls to the basket. Needless to say, this is a game he is going to have to pull through for the team.
Realistically, the best option would be for Golden State to find their shot and it would make their star defender’s job a lot easier. However, if things aren’t falling for them they know they can rely on Green’s defense to get the win.