I had to crack up laughing when I saw the Gil’s Arena crew post a video about Draymond Green’s lockdown defense on Kawhi Leonard entitled, “How A Podcaster ENDED Kawhi’s Dream Season”. Green is arguably the greatest defender of his generation, so him playfully being referred to by his side gig dropping hot pods on YouTube is a nod to just how versatile Green is as a human being.
In a season where he’s had to endure swirling trade rumors, a wounded roster, and the looming shadow of Father Time creeping
over his shoulder, this was the game he had to have.
He was the primary defender on the legendary Kawhi Leonard, a guy with rings and NBA Finals MVP in his trophy case, and put on a performance that was absolutely phenomenal.
You know how some guys like Steph Curry are trusted in late game situations offensively to deliver the killshot? We call ‘em closers, guys who carry that Jordanesque swagger to deliver with the game in the balance. Green is the epitome of that on the defensive end, the equivalent of a brick wall at the end of a one way street. You don’t wanna go his way to try to score for game. But don’t take my word for it, ask Mr. Leonard!
Green was fighting through pain from a stiff leg, consistently smothering Leonard like a wet blanket. When he stole the inbound pass to Leonard with 49 seconds left and the Warriors up 120-117, it felt like the Dubs might be able to exhale. That brilliant move by Green to force Leonard out of position for the pass along the sideline led to the high IQ reflex to knock the stolen ball to his streaking teammate Brandin Podziemski who scored on his layup attempt and drew the foul.
To salt the game and the Clippers’ season away, Green then ripped Leonard’s dribble move, a fantastic and perhaps even stunning sight. We don’t often see the Klaw get his cookies taken in the clutch. Don’t let that closing sequence distract you from the fact that Green was also practically unscreenable when navigating the floor covering Leonard.
The awareness, the feel, the competitive dog inside of Green just stifled Leonard’s plans when the Clippers needed him most. Leonard’s final statline: 21 points on 17 shots in 40 minutes, with 5 turnovers and only 4 free throws. Per NBA.com, Leonard shot 3-for-7 from the field when Green was guarding him, with two turnovers. It doesn’t get any better than what Green and the Warriors did to keep Leonard from finding scoring momentum that can sometimes feel inevitable.
This is why you don’t trade Green; even though he’s an OG now, he is still absolutely invaluable on the floor to keep the other team from being their best selves. You remember how he shut the door on Alperen Sengun and the Rockets last year? It’s what he does.
We haven’t even mentioned how he led the Dubs in assists last night with nine dimes, continually directing the offense like a QB and then setting the tough screens that got his guys open. Enjoy this guy while he’s here, Dub Nation!
