The Golden State Warriors will be looking to keep their season alive on Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and once again Draymond Green will be pivotal in trying to achieve that.
Green has had a couple of big moments in these playoffs, but otherwise the veteran has been below his best for the most part. However, that might be more on Steve Kerr and the Warrior front office than just Green himself.
Warriors only have themselves to blame for Draymond Green's limited output
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The 4x NBA champion has gained a reputation as being a big time playoff performer who lifts his production when the lights shine the brightest. Yet that simply hasn't been the case in these playoffs, even before the hamstring strain to long-time teammate Stephen Curry in this current second-round series.
Green's scoring has remained exactly the same as it was in the regular season, but his efficiency is way down to 39.2% from the field and 27.8% from 3-point range. Perhaps more concerning is the steep drop off in his rebound and assist numbers, with both at the worst mark Green has held in the playoffs over the last 10 years.
It's obviously the defense that is most critical though, having finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Green's been the leader of a number of integral defensive performances that have led to wins for Golden State in this postseason, but it hasn't necessarily been the consistent excellence we've seen in years past.
The Warriors rank a middle of the road seventh in defensive rating during these playoffs, with that stature unconducive to winning when their offense is so limited without Curry. Green's inability to effectively limit Julius Randle in this series has been notable, with the Timberwolves forward averaging 24.3 points, 6.3 rebound and 8.0 assists while shooting nearly 50% from the floor.
But is it necessarily Green's fault that he hasn't quite lived up the high expectations we set? Perhaps this is just the reality of asking a 35-year-old, 6'6" forward to play so much at center over the second-half of the season, and that he's grown tired and weary as a result.
Kerr and Golden State have gone back to Trayce Jackson-Davis in the starting lineup over the last two games -- a remarkable move considering the second-year center was out of the rotation for so much of the last few months. There's no doubt that was in part to help Green, but it hasn't really had the desired result given the Warriors lost both Games 3 and 4 at home.
Whether Golden State are eliminated on Wednesday or not, addressing the center position and lessening the burden on Green is one of their biggest priorities heading into the offseason.