The Golden State Warriors have often relied on Draymond Green to be their emotional leader and defensive powerhouse, and he did not disappoint in their recent matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. The game was a crucial one, as both teams were fighting for playoff positioning, and Green’s fiery energy perfectly captured the significance of the moment.
Steve Kerr spoke to reporter after the game about how Draymond Green willed the Golden State to victory.
"We need his fire."
🎥 @anthonyVslater pic.twitter.com/w8a4au8jLm
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 29, 2023
Throughout the night, Green was on fire, engaging in a shoving match with Brandon Ingram in the second quarter and receiving his 17th technical foul of the season. But his wrath was not reserved for his opponents alone; he also yelled at his own team throughout the game, refusing to let them give up even when they were facing a 20-point deficit in the third quarter.
Thanks to Green’s leadership and the offensive explosion of Stephen Curry, the Warriors were able to mount a comeback and bring the game within four points heading into the final frame. They continued to dominate and ultimately won the game 120-109, with Green finishing with an impressive stat line of 13 assists, six rebounds, and two steals, in addition to his usual stalwart defense.
"It take a real one to talk when you down 20" –@Money23Green pic.twitter.com/GrLDDbRAmR
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 29, 2023
Steve Kerr spoke to reporter after the game about how Draymond Green willed the Golden State to victory. “Draymond willed us to victory tonight,” Kerr said. “That’s what makes Draymond special. It’s not just his amazing basketball IQ and defensive playmaking, but it’s his sheer will. We need his fire.”
Steve Kerr: "Draymond willed us to victory tonight. Just the intensity, the frustration early with the way we were playing. Mad at the world, yelling at everybody — their bench, our bench, me — and frankly we deserved it."
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) March 29, 2023
Overall, Green’s performance was vintage Draymond, and it was a clear reminder of why he is such an integral part of this team. With the postseason just around the corner, the Warriors will be looking to Green to continue to lead them to victory with his fiery passion and unwavering determination.
Draymond Green Motivation and Trash Talk: The Driving Force Behind the Warriors’ Comeback Victory Against the Pelicans
During the Golden State Warriors game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, the 33-years old’s hard foul on Brandon Ingram led to an exchange of words between Green and CJ McCollum. The tensions between the two players escalated further when McCollum was given a Flagrant 1 foul in the third quarter for pushing Donte DiVincenzo.
However, the incident seemed to have worked in the Warriors’ favor, as Green explained in an interview with TNT’s Chris Haynes on the court after the game. Green stated that the early deficit and McCollum’s trash talk provided the motivation he needed to turn things around for Golden State. Draymond said-
“I fouled [Brandon Ingram], it was a good, hard foul and CJ [McCollum] started talking. Don’t start talking, play the game and just enjoy what y’all were doing. They were playing a good game and he started talking. And that’s my type of game, I like that. That’s what I do, I grew up in Saginaw, Michigan and that’s how we play. And so once they wanted to go there, I enjoyed that.”
Green acknowledged that the Pelicans had dominated the first quarter and a half, and were up by 20 points. He credited McCollum for talking trash when his team was up by such a significant margin and stated that it took a “real one” to do so. Green’s motivation helped the Warriors bounce back and secure a 120-109 victory over the Pelicans.
