With 47 points per game missing with Durant leaving and Klay Thompson injured, Golden State Warriors’ forward Draymond Green needs to buckle up and start shooting.
Draymond Green has been put under pressure for years with his shooting. The former DPOY is a phenomenal two-way player, but he’s consistently passes up on open opporunity that stalls the Golden State Warriors’ dynamic offense.
Defenders have learned his actions through the years and Green has been left standing while double teams have been thrown on Curry, Thompson and Durant.
And Draymond hasn’t been willing to shoot the ball, or at least it’s somewhat uncommon.
Curry, Durant and Thompson took their share, but repeatedly Green was left standing with great distance to defenders.
“I hate when he’s looking to pass when he should shoot. I tell him that all the time”, Durant said after a practice per NBC Sports.
Over the years, Green can evolve some on-court skills, but he will never be a rock solid 3-point shooter. Studies of players – mostly big men – shows that if you shoot poorly in college you will continue in the NBA, which, to be fair, is not surprising at all.
In 145 college games for Michigan State, Draymond Green had these numbers:
G 145
PTS 10.5
TRB 7.6
AST 2.9
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FG% 46.7
FG3% 36.1
FT% 68.7
In 7 seasons and 533 NBA games, Green’s numbers looks like this:
G 533
PTS 9,1
TRB 6.9
AST 4.9
FG% 43.9
FG3% 32.3
FT% 70.6
This supports the thesis about the college player not progressing into a shooter suddenly. So, what can Green do when his team needs support at the offensive end?
We could start at looking at LeBron James. Here’s a guy who really wanted to be an elite shooter and though this is no segment dedicated to criticizing James in basketball related issues – Bron is still better at almost everything else on the offensive end than shooting the three.
No one like James can make points penetrating the defense and attacking the rim. He’s ferocious when he drives to the paint.
Green could be a similar player. He hasn’t got quite the athleticism of LeBron but he is incredibly strong, reads bodies well and is efficient at the rim.
Draymond Green must stop trying to get those two or three 3-pointers per game. Instead he should attack on fastbreaks – making himself a threat: driving, posting, cutting.
Green should get himself close to the rim and his physique ought to help him. What Draymond does on the defensive end should be compatible with the offense when it comes to shoving and pushing.
No matter what Draymond Green needs to take responsibility on the offensive end as well from the start of the season. And why stop when Klay gets back.
If Green can turn himself into a threat in the paint his playmaking could elevate him into a superstar – worth every dollar of his new contract.