Warriors big man Draymond Green hopes to improve his on-court performance during Golden State’s Finals series against the Celtics, and is doing his darnedest to avoid distractions from off-court bad actors, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape. Celtics fans erupted into an explicative-laden chant aimed at Green during the Warriors’ 116-100 Game 3 loss to the Boston.
“They are just talking,” Green said following the Wednesday loss. “Not really my job to react to them. They did what I expected… I have to come out and play with more force.”
The four-time All-Star, also a 2022 All-Defensive Second Team honoree, has had a lackluster Finals series. He is averaging 4.3 PPG, 5.8 APG, 7.3 RPG, and 4.5 fouls a night. He was benched for much of the fourth quarter during the Warriors’ 107-97 Game 4 road victory.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has enjoyed a masterful 2021/22 season with Golden State, opines Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. Kerr’s Warriors successfully knotted their 2022 Finals series against the Celtics 2-2 on Friday. It marks Golden State’s sixth Finals appearance during Kerr’s eight years with the club. Beyond the team’s core of All-Stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins, plus shooting guard Klay Thompson, and center Kevon Looney, Kawakami writes that Kerr has adeptly adjusted his rotations for the rest of the team’s personnel to fit a variety of on-court situations.
- The Kings, who have the fourth pick in the upcoming draft, have scheduled a workout with G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Daniels is currently ranked as the No. 6 prospect on ESPN’s big board. Robbins adds that Daniels has previously worked out for several other teams, including the Pistons and Spurs.
- Following a disappointing Western Conference Semifinals loss to the Mavericks, the Suns face an uncertain future. The team’s biggest decision this summer concerns the fate of restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton, who had an excellent regular season but struggled through an inconsistent postseason. In a pair of subscriber-only stories, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic identifies five things Phoenix should do if it wants to trade Ayton, and five things the club should do if it wants to retain him.
Ayton $131 million
Johnson $80 million
Luxury tax
Suns owner thinks it’s not worth?
Warriors
Clippers
Mavs
Grizzlies
If trading Ayton for equal value
5 years later, Suns are still better than 8 west teams
If they can keep Ayton at 131 and Johnson at 80 I say do it and build a team around those two and the rest of the core 4. (Booker & Bridges). If at some point you want to move Ayton then do it, they’d get a better return at the next trade deadline.
Suns should attach a first round pick to do salary dump trade – Shamet and Saric.
They don’t have to pay tax to keep Ayton and Johnson.
Like this comment if you’ve muted “sillivan” too.
He’s alright. He’s a die-hard fan, he’s on his website all day long. Always the first commenter soon as an article gives him an alert he’s on here with a trade or a free agency opinion.
I just don’t let him get away with horrible posts. I’ll tell him if he’s coming from Left Field if I can back it up with clear reasons why.
Notice how there’s been no more Westbrook trade ideas from Sullivan. Not till 30 days before the trade deadline. Moratorium on Sullivan Westbrook trade posts.
I always trust your judgment Gary. I’ll follow your lead as regards Sillivan. And Gary, I am so happy for Wiggins’ emergence as I am sure you are as well. Go Warriors Gary.
I appreciate the kind words Claude. You always write nice things in return to me. But I’m not sure about trusting me, I make a lot of mistakes and I’m not right very often. But hey we both love the Warriors so there’s that !!
I love when you write your basketball opinions also. You’re spot on quite a bit. Keep up the good work.
Just saying, posts responding to a Sullivan OP, gets muted to Sullivan muters too. There may be a lot doing that. I do; I already get thrown off track enough on my own.
Yes you’re exactly right but you figure 10 regular posters are tired of Sillivan and mute, yet there’s thousands of readers.
For the record I haven’t muted a single person. Why? If I don’t agree with something I just move on or try to make a reasonable commentin return. If someone resorts to name calling and all that stuff then just leave it alone I guess.
Except of course for El Don Always Wrong. I have to point out his errors continually. Trying to create a ground swell of discontent LOL.
It’s not mecessarily that I disagree with Sullivan, but it’s like civilization has to start from scratch after his posts, and then I post mean. There’s enough mean out there, and from me. That mute is for the good of everyone else! :D
wtf, that.
I just ended all mutes. We’ll see how long that lasts.
Silli was my only mute left. I guess roboHouston & Swanson left, AsfaninUK leaves for periods, and knickerbocker is doing some editing, leaving the better stuff.
Sometimes they leave and come back as somebody else.
What about El Don always wrong? Mute or no?
Alex, two things..
* Draymond “is doing his darnedest to avoid distractions..” – Just say “best”.. :)
* Excellent, yes, yes! You may be the only Hoops Rumors writer who is making an effort to let us know that a link is behind a paywall. “In a pair of subscriber-only stories, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic..” Thank you and keep doing that!
I noticed on Pounding the Rock, the SBNation blog, that a couple of their writers are adding the ($) after links to show they are subscriber-only. That works well, too.
I hope Hoops Rumors writers will start doing this more consistently. I think all of us by now know that The Athletic and probably 3/4 of ESPN links are subscriber orInsider articles, but for these local newspapers at least, the paywall reminder is a good idea to save your readers some aggravation.
I like “darndest”. Nothing wrong with a little flair added to the authorial voice.
Why was PHO R2WC exit disappointing?
I didn’t expect them to get any further than that, they ain’t that good, specially as they don’t get the ball more to Ayton & they overpaid Bridges & now they wanna penny pinch on Ayton… what a mess of a franchise!
Green stayed out of trouble and overall had a decent Game 4. However, for some reason he didnt have his normal energy intensity until the final 3 minutes. He didnt have his normal “hop” in his body language…. almost seemed like he wasnt into it. Who knows why but it came back in the final 3 minutes. Warriors need the real Green in the final 3 games to win their 4th title. It’s all time legacy building 3 games for Warriors trio. Go Draymond!!!
He showed that he couldn’t handle the crowd. He’s a bully who cowered when confronted. He’s mentally weak. You cheering for him shows a lot about you, too.
lol you’re so butthurt.
Green – 33 mins, 2pts, 9 reb, 8 ast, 4 stl.
shot 1-7.
He’s afraid to shoot now. Was in this gm. He gave up 3-4 easy FG. Like Kobe once said. I go 1-9 means you got to me. I’d rather go 1-19 before I consider to stop shooting. Dra best days are behind him.
The Celtics are a great defensive team. Why not give them credit instead of putting all the blame on Draymond Green’s offense? He’s not a 20-point scorer but they’ve neutralized his Effectiveness on that end. Great job by Boston.
@Knick
I don’t think he’s shying away from shooting. He usually shoots about 7-9 a game. I don’t think ANYONE on the GSW side wants to see him hoist up more than that. He just has to out up more high % shots to keep the defense honest.
Small-ball center is a tough job; one gets beat up doing that, all to make the the team faster temporarily. His head is elbow-high.
What is this?— compassion for Dray? lol
green is showing how overrated he is in this series. he never should have been on an all defensive team
You define a man’s defensive expertise during a whole season and especially a couple of weeks ago versus the greatest Center in the universe, based on 1 NBA finals? I wouldn’t call that objective or fair.
@Zac
Dray is still an above average defender.
above average that’s it.
If above average means “legendary defender/all time winning player” I agree
Thx formerly. I ditto that.
He won his award during the RS, when the important awards are given… All-Defensive teams ain’t selected for play in the finals, so it is totally irrelevant his play!
Lol, A DPOY “never should have been on an all defensive team” says it all – ABOUT YOU.
El Don Always Wrong comes flying in with a drive by comment above, two weeks after the Suns are eliminated in the Western Conference semis. Yeah sure you knew they would fold. Such a NBA Genius.
If you said anything other than “Phoenix is favored to come out of the West” when the playoffs started you’re lying to yourself.
Monday morning quarterbacks are still the worst of the worst. “I knew that would happen” 3 weeks later. Please.
“Mess of a franchise?” I don’t think so.
Facts.
Obviously, the reason why they were favored was how they dominated the reg. season. Best record in the league by 8 games, best record vs .500+ teams by 4 games, #1 in avg pt differential, and 1 of 2 teams undefeated in OT games.