Warriors play-by-play broadcaster and KNBR host Bob Fitzgerald is going to be joining the Murph and Mac Show every weekday during the postseason. He called in Monday morning where the topic jumped straight to Draymond Green.
In terms of hallmark, signature type of performances, Draymond’s Game 1 effort against the Portland Trail Blazers is near the top of his list. The molly-whopping blocks on Damian Lillard and Noah Vonleh ratcheted up Oracle Arena in the second half, and arguably deflated a hot Portland team. There were 12 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 blocks and 3 steals from Green — the team leader in all four categories. And there was so much trash talking going on, according to Lillard, that he was talking much more than he’s normally accustomed to.
Because of his dominant defense, Green’s scoring is going unnoticed the day after the victory. Ten of his 19 points came in the fourth quarter. This is the important part: Green tied Steph Curry with 3 made 3s, and when he’s sinking wide open shots now with Kevin Durant in the fold,
“Draymond, (it) was insane how good he was,” Fitzgerald said. “Jeff Van Gundy kind of said it in the broadcast. If he hits 3s, you are never beating the Warriors, basically. And that’s true. Okay, Durant’s here, and Steph’s here and Klay’s here and the lob to JaVale is here. So they leave Draymond Green open for 3s. And he made them.”
Including yesterday’s total, the Warriors are now 10-1 this season when Draymond hits at least 3 3s in a game. The one loss was in Sacramento on Feb. 4 where he spent a portion of the contest in the locker room with a nicked up ankle. You can come up with dozens of statistics that equate a Warriors win, but Draymond draining shots is a pretty firm bet on success. As Fitz alluded to, the open looks are likely to continue for No. 23.
Oh, yeah. He’s also in line next to Rudy Gobert to win Defensive Player of the Year. Voting should probably end after the postseason.
“Then you are going to attack him at the rim? And that’s going to be your deal over and over? Good luck with that,” Fitzgerald said. “Once he rebounds the ball the way he does, and gets it to Durant or anybody else in terms of starting the break, here come the Warriors in transition where they are incredibly lethal. I thought Draymond checked every box.
“The Warriors will not lose a playoff game when they shoot better than 50 percent from the field, 40 percent on 3s and 85 percent from the line. They will not (lose). Those to me are the standards right there. There going 50-40-85, they got you.”
