The Golden State Warriors maintained their spot at No. 3 in the Western Conference with a key victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
The Dubs, who haven’t necessarily played well on the road, won 100-94. The best two guards for either team were sidelined as two-time MVP Stephen Curry will be out the remainder of the season and Dejounte Murray was also sidelined.
The Golden State Warriors beat the San Antonio Spurs, and they were able to manage a 6-point win behind a vintage performance by Draymond Green.
Klay Thompson, a five-time All-Star that’s been playing much better as of late, was also out for the game, so four-time All-Star Draymond Green was without many of his usual weapons. Green is the floor general for the Warriors, and he proved to be just that on Saturday.
Green ended the game with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. There isn’t a more ideal line for Green than this, and it’s especially encouraging considering the size issues Golden State has seen being mentioned in what could hinder their postseason run.
He was also an efficient 6-for-10 from the field. Green missed his only 3-point attempt. It’s been an interesting transition for Green who has struggled to shoot from deep over the past several years.
Green has become more of a pass-first forward and is averaging 7.0 assists per game which is significantly higher than his 5.4 assists per game career average.
The Warriors are 17-1 this season when Green gets at least 8 assists, and that’s what makes this “vintage” performance so ideal for the Warriors. If he can consistently make the right decisions, the Warriors are going to be much better off in the postseason.
Green was also effective and aggressive with getting his own shot and pushing quickly in transition.
Given he’s a key dictator of how the Warriors play as a team, Green being able to find success early and throughout the game was important the Warriors as a loss could’ve forced them into an interesting situation with the Mavericks just a game behind.
Golden State needs Green to be aggressive, and he should continue that trend moving forward.