Rick Barry, the Splash Brothers, Run TMC and Kevin Durant each contributed to memorable performances in playoff game one of the Western Conference first round.
The opening round of the playoffs marks a holiday weekend for hoops fans around the league. A mix of cinderella squads vying to play spoiler, while top-seeded teams attempt to make a run at the Finals usually makes for fireworks.
Saturday, April, 18 was the scheduled start date of the 2020 playoffs. However, with the season suspended with 17 games remaining due to the coronavirus pandemic, the start of the playoffs are on hold.
With no basketball on the slate, Warriors Wire looked back into some of the top moments from the first game of Golden State’s opening-rounds in playoff history.
Rick Barry, the Splash Brothers, Run TMC and Kevin Durant each contributed to memorable performances in game one of the Western Conference first round.
The Spartans Wire Michigan State basketball postseason awards are here! Vote on the best moment from the 2019-20 season here.
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Welcome to the Spartans Wire Michigan State basketball Postseason Awards for the 2019-20 season. Over the next week, we will post a poll for fans to vote on our awards each and every day. Then, at the end of the month, we will provide the fan voting results and our staff picks.
Today, you can cast your vote for the best MSU basketball moment from the 2019-20 season. Which moment do you think stands out the most?
LeBron James’ former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate J.R. Smith remembers “feeling” what LeBron James said about the Warriors in 2016.
Nearly four years after it happened, the 2016 NBA Finals and the 3-1 comeback by the Cleveland Cavaliers remains one of the most remarkable moments in NBA history, either recent or in the entire 70+ year history of the league. And with all of the characters from that series still very much in our lives, there’s still plenty to talk about and perspectives to uncover.
Former Cleveland Cavaliers swingman J.R. Smith brought his perspective to the iconic series, particularly the comments from LeBron James in the middle of the series, when they were down 3-1, that he believed the Warriors looked like they no longer had control. Smith discussed LeBron’s speech and how he “felt it,” while playing Call of Duty: Warzone with Bleacher Report’s Master Tesfatsion.
Down 3-1 to the Warriors, LeBron James told his Cavs teammates they wouldn't lose again.
LeBron’s comments in the middle of the series are marked as one of the big turning points in the series for the Cavaliers, as well as Draymond Green’s one-game suspension in Game 5 of that series for technical accumulation. Nevertheless, LeBron’s entire run in 2016, particularly the final three games of the series, is among the best the game has ever seen in a Finals series.
Excerpted from The Victory Machine: The Making and Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty , published on April 14, 2020 by PublicAffairs. On November 12, 2018, in Los Angeles, Durant cut into Green after Draymond failed to pass him the ball on a bungled …
On November 12, 2018, in Los Angeles, Durant cut into Green after Draymond failed to pass him the ball on a bungled end-of-regulation play. He challenged Draymond’s pride, which prompted Green to go nuclear. Draymond would call KD a “bitch” multiple times and assail him for dangling his impending free agency over everyone else. In the aftermath, attempts at reconciliation were made. The two continued to work together. But the incident served as a kind of demarcation point. Perhaps the Warriors season was already there, just not so publicly. The event, though, darkened it. It was an incident Kerr expressed concerns about at the time, using the following metaphor when asked about the incident: “Sometimes, team chemistry is like a balloon. You worry about if there’s a point where it pops.” The argument made news, locally and nationally. In the story of a dynasty, there are only two modes: rise and fall.
The game after KD and Draymond’s famous November feud, I asked AndreIguodala about it. “Shaq and Kobe ain’t like each other,” he said matter-of-factly. I responded, “But that ended in a way you wouldn’t want this to end, right?” Andre replied, “They won three championships in a row. Ain’t that what you want to happen?” “I guess all things come to an end,” I said. Andre nodded and put a bow on the brief conversation: “Everything come to an end.”
What followed was a dragging kind of regular season, one in which the Warriors managed to get a one seed, absent much apparent esprit de corps. Such was their advantage over the league that this qualified as underperforming. More than the basketball, it was just the overall vibe that brought down onlookers. Just as KD’s better moods can be contagious, his worse ones can be the bad kind of infectious. This was a regular season in which Kevin Durant was halfway out the door and in no way loving that status.
In January 2019, I wrote about how the Warriors worked hard to make Kevin Durant happy, in terms of offensive approach. A mutual friend told me that Kevin was livid over the article, so I braced for conflict. Some stars can get mad over a headline. I’d been on the receiving end of that. A couple sentences into the dressing down and you realize it’s all based on a tweet. You ask if they read the article and receive a, “I don’t HAVE to read the fucking article to . . . ” And so forth.
Not KD. He reads everything and takes issue with specific sentences and phrases. A few in particular had inspired his ire, or so I heard. So I entered the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento with certain expectations.
I figured I might get a muttered, “Hater in the house,” a phrase KD favors with the disfavored. In any event, I was primed for an interesting exchange. We, the huddled media, received our permission to enter the arena court and trudged on in. It’s common at a shootaround to walk onto the floor, in the out-of-bounds area. The moment my feet touched hardwood, a practicing Kevin Durant ditched his shooting drill, and speed-walked in my direction.
The ball KD abandoned was still bouncing when he spat, “How can you write that shit!?” He was off and running, venting about the article as media members gawked on. I went into the auto pilot mode I’ve developed over the years. You can never argue your way out of these, or at least I never had any luck with it. The star will never say, “Gee, that’s a good point you made,” or, “Ohhhh, I now see that’s a metaphor.” So I tend to drone, “What’s your perspective?” and wait it out, in case some of that perspective comes through and I learn something. Maybe they’ll express a truth I need to grasp. Maybe they’ll experience catharsis. I just know this tends to be a one-way street. KD inveighed that I didn’t know what I was talking about, and that I didn’t know him. Finally, he closed as his voice rose, with a slight tremble. “You don’t know me! You don’t know what makes me happy!”
The media peanut gallery heard that last line. It was too loud and too strange to forget. Among colleagues, the catchphrase would follow me the rest of the season. Anytime I offered an idea on where to get something to eat before the game I was liable to get, “You don’t know what makes me happy!” in response.
Later that same day, I showed up to pregame locker room availability. The Old Media Code dictates that, if you’ve pissed someone off, you have to be available. I suppose it’s about accountability and honor, such as we have any in this business. So there I was, available, staring at the TV of an empty locker room. ESPN’s Nick Friedell, just before leaving the locker room, mentioned that KD was glaring at me from the training table behind the locker room. Great.
KD made his way from the training table to his locker. He motioned me over with a hurried gesture. Maybe, in retrospect, this interaction could have gone better. I sometimes wonder if what is sought in these matters is mere apologetics. That if I only cave and grovel, we actually get somewhere approximating peace. That certainly isn’t the Old Media Code, but it is likely the most expedient process.
I started with that. “Look, I appreciate you being direct with me . . . ” But the olive branch was instantly swatted aside, interrupted by more venting. He was big on how I had not included comments from his postgame press conference. He kept repeating this. It confused me, because he was talking fast without context. He assumed I knew everything he’d said in that press conference, including whatever detail he believed pertinent to the article.
His perspective on the matter wasn’t wholly insane. If my job is to follow him around and tell stories about what he says, then I must have archival knowledge of everything he says publicly. It doesn’t quite work that way, though, at least not for me. Typically, I’ll attend the coach press conference, before the locker room is open. The player press conferences that follow happen concurrent with locker room availability. I generally prefer the locker room to the pressers because there’s actually a chance I might get information nobody else has. Also, there’s just a better shot at seeing something hilarious or having a memorable conversation. Press conferences are usually a bore.
I started responding. “Look, I think . . . ” But KD interrupted me, and just in the way I’m used to. He swiveled his head around the locker room. “Not so loud, bro,” he said. “Everybody don’t need to be hearing this.” Confused, I whipped my head around, seeing nary a threat. Quinn Cook, an affable friend of Kevin’s, was next to us, but the Kings’ impressively capacious locker room was otherwise empty. Why was KD worried about our conversation getting overheard by teammates when he wasn’t even establishing that this was off record? What was the big problem here?
I tried to make a few points, saying I didn’t begrudge him for having leverage with his contract, and insisted that I had good reason to write what I wrote. KD wasn’t impressed and accused me of trying to “rile up Steph’s fans.” He expressed that this was a constant theme in the Bay. All of us local guys just wanted to kiss Steph’s ass at his expense. This was KD’s consistent lament. He would frequently squabble in direct-message conversations with the Warriors fans of Twitter, frequently accusing them of favoring Steph at his expense. In one such exchange that foreshadowed things to come, he was asked by the WarriorsWorld account whether two-time MVP Steph Curry or Kyrie Irving was the better player. “I gotta really sit down and analyze it,” Durant demurred.
I ended up telling KD that, if this kind of thing made him mad, I could actually come to him next time and get his perspective on it before running with something. A reasonable request maybe, but for the athlete, it just promises more interactions with the person they currently despise. KD curtly told me, “Just do your fucking job,” and walked off. I looked and shrugged at Cook, who laughed uncomfortably.
Well, it was time to do my job, whatever that is. What it sometimes is, is bullshitting around a basketball court as players warm up. Pregame offers the opportunity to walk about the court and schmooze about the NBA cafeteria scene. I shook hands with Warriors broadcaster Jim Barnett and talked about the advance scouting profession for a spell. I joked around with Warriors assistant coaches. Afterward, Friedell told me that KD was glaring at me through his whole warmup routine. I didn’t know what made him happy, but I was getting a sense of what could make him obsessively pissed.
Guys had gotten mad at me before, but not like this. They’d shown anger, but betrayed no obsession. Generally, you get a blast of scorn, but the underlying idea is that you’re a pissant who, after the initial transgression, isn’t worth a further thought. KD made you feel as though he thought more about you than the other way around. He almost flattered you with his spite. Or, it would be flattering if the spite wasn’t so KD-focused. You were only hated insofar as how you reflected on him.
To stay in shape during the NBA’s coronavirus shutdown, members of the Golden State Warriors are turning to their Peloton bikes.
It’s been three weeks since the Golden State Warriors played a basketball game. Since the league has been on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, players around the NBA are finding creative ways to fill their time.
For the Golden State Warriors, the Peloton bike has provided a way for the team to work out together at home.
According to Ben Cohen of the Wall Street Journal, Stephen Curry, along with Draymond Green and other members of Golden State are participating in the “Tour de Warriors.”
[Curry] does have a Peloton bike at home. As it turns out, he’s not the only one: The Warriors have been going for a group ride in the morning. The invitation goes out on a Slack group — Curry admits to skipping one class because he didn’t see the message — and then a maniacally competitive bicyclist named Draymond Green attempts to destroy everyone around him, according to a person familiar with the rides.
Golden State’s two-time Most Valuable Player told Cohen he’s above average, but “not on the podium yet” in the Warriors group Peloton rides.
Although the season is suspended indefinitely, Golden State still has 17 games remaining on the 2019-20 calendar once play resumes. Keeping the competitive juices flowing is positive news for Curry and Green.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Stephen Jackson and Baron Davis all named in Juan Toscano Anderson’s top Golden State Warriors squad.
While the NBA season is on hold, players around the association have taken to social media to fill their time. With no games on the calendar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Paschall and other players have hosted Q&A sessions with fans.
On Saturday, one of the newest members of the Golden State Warriors answered questions posed to him on Twitter. Juan Toscano-Anderson responded to questions about his rookie season, playing in Mexico and music.
The Bay Area native listed his all-time Warriors squad. Toscano-Anderson named two members of the “We Believe” era Dubs alongside three of his current teammates as his all-time group.
Before his Q&A was over, Toscano-Anderson shared two memories from his childhood. The Marquette product said Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson were his favorite players growing up.
However, there was one question the former G Leaguer wouldn’t answer. Toscano-Anderson was asked who his top-five players of all-time are, and he declined to comment.
I’m staying away from this question lol, gotta appreciate the game and the different players. Don’t compare art https://t.co/njTrnphaqs
When the NBA season resumes, Toscano-Anderson will have 17 games remaining on the schedule to prove he belongs in the league with Golden State for the future.
HoopsHype ranks the 20 players with the best winning percentages in NBA history, including Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
Winning in the NBA isn’t easy… for most players. For others, it’s almost a second nature. Some of the players on our upcoming list were the primary reasons their teams won so much, while others were excellent complementary pieces through their tenures as basketball professionals while others still were simply players lucky enough to be a part of the ride. What’s interesting is that the player coming up No. 1 on our rankings, ahead of so many legends, is still in the midst of his prime and could rise even higher than everyone else or fall from the top spot before his career is over.
Below, the 20 winningest players in NBA history based on win percentage (minimum: 250 games played):
Brazilian big man Tiago Splitter spent the majority of his prime as a role player with the San Antonio Spurs, which is where his high winning percentage comes from.
Splitter spent five seasons in San Antonio, often starting games for them alongside another big man who will come up later on our list.
An NBA champion once, in 2013-14, Splitter averaged 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds over five seasons with the Spurs and would go on to play just 44 games after his time with San Antonio.
The muscle behind all of those elite Golden State Warriors of the mid- to late-2010s, Draymond Green played a huge role in the dynasty out of California, defending, rebounding and playmaking at an extremely high level for a team that was missing toughness prior to his arrival.
Green, a three-time NBA champion, three-time All-Star and one-time Defensive Player of the Year, was instrumental to a lot of the winning that went on in Golden State, even if he usually doesn’t get much credit for his contributions outside of his instigating.
Green actually would rank higher on this list if it were not for the fact that he is the only healthy Warriors star playing games this season when they own the league’s worst record.
18. TOM SANDERS: 69.7 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 62.3 percent
Better known as “Satch” in his heyday, he spent 13 seasons as a member of the Boston Celtics, winning an astounding eight titles during his time there. Sanders, a 2013 Hall-of-Fame inductee, wasn’t much of a scorer for Boston, but his defense and rebounding were important for the Celtics dynasty of the 1960s and early ’70s.
After his playing career, Sanders became the first African-American head coach in Ivy League history with Harvard and even had a brief stint as coach of the Celtics, though a 2-12 start to the 1977-78 season led to his dismissal.
17. DENNIS RODMAN: 69.8 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 68.6 percent
Remembered fondly for his funky hair colors and on-court extracurriculars, Dennis Rodman was a rebounding machine for two of the greatest teams of all time, the late-1980s Detroit Pistons and the second threepeat Chicago Bulls, winning five NBA titles throughout his Hall-of-Fame 14-year career.
Rodman led the league in rebounding seven straight years throughout his prime, putting up 6.4 points and 16.7 rebounds (!) nightly over that stretch. Far from just a rebounder, though, Rodman made eight All-Defense teams (seven 1st Teams) and won Defensive Player of the Year twice before hanging them up following the 1999-00 season.
A teammate of Green’s with Golden State, Klay Thompson is likewise a good defender, but he makes his money more on the perimeter, knocking down triple after triple for various title-winning Warriors squads.
For his career, Thompson ranks fourth among high volume three-point marksmen (minimum: 3,000 attempts) in outside accuracy, hitting 41.9 percent of his three-pointers since reaching the NBA. Thompson also has three NBA titles to his name, as well as one 2nd Team All-Defense, proving that he’s more than just a shooter.
15. JIM LOSCUTOFF: 70.3 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 66.7 percent
A no-nonsense hard-nosed forward for the Celtics from 1955 to 1964, Jim Loscutoff was part of seven title winners in Boston throughout his nine-year career.
Loscutoff didn’t put up big numbers whatsoever, averaging 6.2 points and 5.6 rebounds for his career, but alongside a Hall-of-Fame center coming up soon on our list, he helped turn the Celtics into a defensive juggernaut and dynasty they became during his time there.
14. FRANK RAMSEY: 70.5 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 64.9 percent
Frank Ramsey was a teammate of Loscutoff’s for most of his career, suiting up for Boston from 1954 to 1964 (except for the 1955-56 season, a campaign that Ramsey missed due to military service) and winning seven titles in an eight-year stretch.
Ramsey is often credited as one of the NBA’s original Sixth Man, a player talented enough to start for most teams, but who was willing to come off the bench for the greater good knowing that he would close games on most nights. For his winning impact and contributions off the bench for a dynasty in Boston, Ramsey was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2006.
One of the fastest rising players in basketball over the past two seasons, Pascal Siakam went from being a decent-but-limited reserve in 2017-18 for the Toronto Raptors to averaging 19.8 points and 7.1 boards over the two campaigns since then.
Siakam, a first-time All-Star in 2019-20, was vital to Toronto’s championship run of 2018-19, manning the frontcourt alongside the player coming up at No. 1 on this list, terrorizing foes in transition and defending multiple positions ably and admirably.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
12. TONY PARKER: 71.1 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 60.6 percent
Parker, who made 2nd Team All-NBA three times throughout his playing days, even has a Finals MVP to his name, which proves his importance to the operation in San Antonio. He received the award after the 2007 Finals, one that saw him average 24.5 points (on 56.8 percent shooting) and 5.0 rebounds in a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
11. BILL RUSSELL: 71.7 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 64.8 percent
In his 13-year career, Bill Russell won a still-league-record 11 championships – and was the driving force behind all of those titles. Russell led the league in rebounding five times throughout his playing days, averaging 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds for his career.
To this day, Russell ranks second all-time in rebounds with an unfathomable 21,620 boards and would likely rank pretty high up there in total blocks, too, if they were a recorded stat in his prime. Russell won five MVP awards in his 13 seasons, was either 1st or 2nd Team All-NBA 11 times and earned Hall-of-Fame honors in 1975 for his incredible contributions to the sport.
10. SAM JONES: 71.9 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 64.9 percent
Like a lot for the aforementioned Celtics of the dynasty years, most of Sam Jones’ seasons ended with hoisting a championship trophy. Jones played 12 seasons for Boston and won titles in 10 of them, playing the role of perimeter scorer for the team in green.
Jones had a seven-year stretch where he averaged 21.5 points nightly and still ranks seventh in Celtics history in total points scored with 15,411. He also earned All-Star honors five times in his career, 2nd Team All-NBA three times and was named a Hall-of-Famer in 1984.
9. TIM DUNCAN: 71.9 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 62.5 percent
Like Russell in Boston, Tim Duncan was the engine behind the Spurs dynasty which won five NBA championships over a 15-year stretch. Duncan’s defensive prowess, rebounding tenacity and low-block scoring touch made him a truly special big man – and arguably the greatest power forward of all time.
Duncan ranks 14th in league history in points scored (26,496), sixth in total rebounds (15,091) and fifth in blocks (3,020) after averaging 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks for his 19-year career.
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
8. MANU GINOBILI: 72.1 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 61.9 percent
Duncan’s teammate for most of his career, Manu Ginobili had the talent to start for just about any team in his prime but was selfless enough to come off the bench for the Spurs, where he became one of the greatest sixth men in NBA history.
Over a seven-season stretch between 2004-05 and 2010-11, Ginobili averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.7 three-pointers per contest, shooting 45.4 percent from the floor, and in two separate occasions, he actually outpaced Duncan in overall win shares for the campaign.
As if we needed more proof of Ginobili’s impact to winning: only the Argentinian 2-guard and Hall-of-Famer/New York Knicks legend Bill Bradley can claim to have earned an Olympic gold, a Euroleague title and at least one NBA championship in their careers.
7. TOMMY HEINSOHN: 72.6 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 66.3 percent
Yet another player from the Celtics dynasty of the ’50s and ’60s, Tommy Heinsohn won eight titles in his nine-year career and played a major part in those championships.
Heinsohn averaged 18.6 points and 8.8 rebounds nightly throughout his playing days, made six All-Star teams and was named 2nd Team All-NBA four years in a row from 1961 through 1964, proving that he was much more than just a role player.
6. DANNY GREEN: 72.7 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 61.3 percent
A three-point shooting defensive specialist at 2-guard, Danny Green has been on a playoff team every year of his career, from his time with the Cavaliers, Spurs and Raptors.
Green has two titles to his name, one with San Antonio in 2013-14 and one with Toronto last season, and even held the record for most three-pointers made in a Finals series with 27 back in 2013 before Stephen Curry broke the record three years later. For his playoff career, Green is a 39.7 percent three-point shooter and has proven he’s someone you can trust in important games.
Green has actually moved up in these rankings from last year when he had “just” a 72.1 percent win rate. Playing for a 49-14 Lakers team this season probably helps.
5. MICHAEL COOPER: 72.9 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 68.5 percent
Michael Cooper was similar to Green in that he did a whole lot of winning in his career and played the role of a defensive-minded shooting guard, but he did so without providing the floor-spacing that Green did.
At the same time, however, Cooper’s defense far outweighed that of Green’s, as Coop was named to the league’s 1st Team All-Defense five times in his playing days while earning 2nd Team All-Defense three more times. He was even the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1986-87, an extremely difficult honor to achieve for non-big men.
Cooper spent all 12 seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and won five championships while there, all as a role player for the Showtime years of the franchise alongside a player coming up on our list.
The final player of the early-NBA Celtics dynasty to make our list, KC Jones spent nine seasons in Boston and won a championship in eight of them, all in a consecutive fashion from 1958-59 to 1965-66.
Jones wasn’t much of a scorer, averaging just 7.4 points per game during his playing days, but his tenacity on the defensive end of the floor helped propel the Celtics to the heights they reached. What’s more, he’s one of just seven players in basketball history with an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA championship and an NBA title on their resume.
The guy just knew how to impact games in the win column.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner Sports
3. LARRY BIRD: 73.6 percent
Playoff winning percentage: 60.4 percent
Our first Celtic not from the ’50s or ’60s, Larry Bird suited up for the green-and-white franchise for his entire career from 1979-80 to 1991-92.
In that 13-season span, Bird made 12 All-Star teams, nine 1st Team All-NBA’s and was awarded league MVP three seasons in a row. Oh, and he won three NBA championships throughout his playing days, too.
For his career, Bird averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game and ranks third in Celtics history in points scored (21,791), fourth in rebounds (8,974) and third in assists (5,695). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
Bird’s chief rival throughout his playing days was Magic Johnson, who just outpaces him in career win percentage for the purpose of our rankings. Like Bird, Johnson spent the entirety of his time in the NBA with one team, the Lakers, though he won two more titles than his Celtic rival and just as many league MVP trophies (three).
Johnson led the NBA in assists per game four times in his career and in nightly steals twice, and to this day, ranks fifth in total dimes with 10,141. He’d be higher up that list, too, if not for HIV tragically cutting his career short after the 1990-91 season.
Los Angeles Clippers forward and reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard finishes up our rankings at the No. 1 spot, and he’s done it while suiting up for three different teams for his career, proving that for a lot of the winning he’s done, it has been thanks to him and he wasn’t just along for the ride.
Winning so many games in his career is a credit to Leonard at this point and not just the Spurs, which is easy to see now two years after his departure from San Antonio, as Leonard has won a title since then and the Spurs have barely been in the playoff hunt.
Leonard has already done enough in his career (despite not being close to being done) to be considered one of the greatest two-way players of all time, with much-improved scoring since he entered his prime (24.5-point-per-game average over the last five seasons) and airtight defense that was stout enough to win him two Defensive Player of the Year awards, an honor usually bestowed for big men.
Leonard has two titles to his name already, both of which earned him Finals MVP honors, but if he can win one with his new team in L.A., that might be his most impressive accomplishment considering how long the Clippers have been an afterthought in the NBA prior to his arrival.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.
You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.
On Monday, San Francisco announced a shelter in place order for the city for all non-essential needs. Residents across San Francisco will be staying home to slow down the spread of coronavirus.
After San Francisco’s shelter in place announcement, Draymond Green shared an Instagram story from the Warriors training facility. In Green’s story, the caption read, “last court workout for the foreseeable future.”
Before the NBA paused its schedule, Green has played less than 10 minutes in Golden State’s last nine contests. The former Defensive Player of the Year missed two games with a pelvic contusion. On return, he was ejected against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half. Green then missed the following six games with knee soreness.
When the NBA season returns, Green will have 17 games left on the calendar before the offseason.
Draymond Green will miss his sixth straight game with knee soreness.
The on-court reunion between Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will have to wait a little longer. Curry has missed 59 games this season with a broken hand injury and an illness. However, when he finally made his long-awaited return, Green took Curry’s spot on the injury report.
The former Defensive Player of the Year will miss his sixth straight game on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers due to knee soreness.
After being ejected against the Los Angeles Lakers, Green has only played in 10 minutes across the past eight games for Golden State. Before missing time with knee soreness, Green missed two games with a pelvic contusion.
Without Green against the Clippers, the Warriors will rely on Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender in the frontcourt. Rookie Eric Paschall should be in line for heavy minutes after scoring 20 points or more in three of the past five games.
Steph Curry remains questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Clippers because of the flu. Draymond Green is still out with knee soreness.
After missing four months with a broken left hand, Curry made his return against the Toronto Raptors, but immediately hit the injury report by the next game. Curry was ruled out against the Philadelphia 76ers with the flu. Curry missed Golden State’s recent practice with the same illness and is listed as questionable against the Clippers.
Without Curry, Damion Lee tallied 24 points to lead the Warriors to victory against the Sixers. If Golden State’s six-time All-Star can’t go against the Clippers — Lee, along with Jordan Poole and Mychal Mulder, will receive a majority of the minutes in Steve Kerr’s backcourt.
Converse officially welcomed Draymond Green to the family.
After spending the first seven years of his career donning the Nike swoosh, Draymond Green has a new shoe deal. The former Defensive Player of the Year signed a multiyear endorsement deal with Converse. Green, along with Phoenix Suns guard Kelly Oubre Jr. will take over as the leaders Converse’s basketball brand.
Green has yet to debut his new Converse shoes on the court as he’s been absent from the past five games due to lingering knee soreness. Once Green returns to the Golden State Warriors, he’s expected to lace up the Converse G4 shoe.
If healthy, Green’s next chance to suit up in his new Converse will be Tuesday when Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers come to Chase Center in San Francisco.
