At face value, Golden State’s success has been fuelled by the relentless shooting skills of ‘Splash Brothers’ Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
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After all, the NBA’s best backcourt propelled the Warriors to the franchise’s finest season in history. However, as the often-repeated adage goes: attack wins you games, defence wins you championships.
Which is why Draymond Green’s star turn in Game 2 of the Western Conference series against the New Orleans Pelicans, as the Warriors took a 2-0 lead following a 97-87 victory at Oracle Arena, could prove to be so crucial in the long run.
The 25-year-old was superb at the offensive end, scoring 14 points with five assists but it was his work in subduing Pelicans star forward Anthony Davis that helped lay the foundations for the victory.
Davis managed 26 points and 10 rebounds but he was wasteful shooting nine of 22 attempts and managed just six in the fourth quarter, all of which were free throws.
Head coach Steve Kerr said: “It’s hard to put into words what Draymond means to the team. He’s one of our leaders and the guy who talks the most trash to the other team, to the refs, to his team-mates, to me. He’s kind of our life line. It’s great.”
Thompson scored 14 of his 26 points in the final quarter to lead a late surge by the Warriors while Curry, who was held scoreless in the fourth quarter, finished with 22 points and six assists.
A telling statistic so far in this series is that in the 84 minutes Green has been on the court, the Warriors have outscored the Pelicans by 57 points but in the 12 he’s been sat on the bench, Golden State have been 30 points behind New Orleans.
The series now switches to New Orleans with Game 3 tomorrow night at the Smoothie King Center where New Orleans were 28-13 during the regular season.
Pelicans coach Monty Williams said: “We’re playing the best team in the league, and we’re fighting tooth and nail.”