Why Draymond’s rise up Warriors’ 3-point rankings is deeply meaningful

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Why Draymond’s rise up Warriors’ 3-point rankings is deeply meaningful originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Kevin Durant caught a bounce pass from Bradley Beal well beyond the 3-point line from the right wing. As Durant inhaled the pass and time ticked off the game clock with only 22 seconds remaining and the Warriors leading by one point, Draymond Green closed in on his former Golden State teammate. Durant’s first step made it appear he had a beat on Green, but the cerebral defender already was one step ahead mentally.

As Durant began his move by going right, Green knew the spot he wanted to get to was from the mid-range on the left side. In turn, Green trailed for a split second before sliding alongside Durant like a choreographed dance. When Durant went up for his shot from 12 feet away, the 7-footer might as well have been the same height as the generously listed 6-foot-6 Green.

Their right hands met in midair, making Durant’s attempt at a game-winner way off. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Dennis Schroder battled for the rebound, leading to the Warriors’ eventual 109-104 win one week ago over the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center.

“Just trying to be physical, trying to make him take a tough shot,” Green said after the win. “He got the shot he wanted. Left hand pull-up, that was the shot he wants. And I knew that’s the shot he wanted. My mindset was just to make sure I timed it up and got a good contest. I wasn’t going to stop him from getting to the spot without fouling.

“I just wanted to make sure I stayed close enough in distance to get a good contest.”

For well over a decade, Green’s defense has been his golden ticket to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. He’s historically unique on both sides of the ball, however, his ability to change games and guard all positions at his size is second to none.

His passing ability comes next, especially in the case of his partnership with Steph Curry. Scoring for Green always has been, and always will be, a bit of an afterthought. Shooting in that same win over the Suns also saw his improbable rise up the Warriors’ all-time 3-point list.

Green,…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-draymonds-rise-warriors-3-202315814.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2025-01-04 20:23:00

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