In the space of thirty seconds of play, Draymond Green received a flagrant foul, a technical foul and an offensive foul, while finding himself in the middle of two altercations with Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones. He could (should?) have been expelled and, in the process, the Pelicans went from +9 to +20.
The Warriors returned to the locker room with 14 lost balls against a team determined to take their place in the standings. And yet, this sequence in the second quarter allowed Draymond Green to find the spark to wake up his team.
“I knew we needed a boost. We started with no energy and let them do what they wanted.” lamented Draymond Green before explaining his strategy. “I wanted to find a way to wake us up and when I made that foul (on Ingram late in the second quarter) they started talking. Yes it was a physical fault but it was not dangerous. It’s not like he’s in the air. He had his support on the ground and I gave him a shoulder shot. Once they started talking, that’s all I needed to turn up the intensity. And that’s what happened. »
Draymond Green returned to the field with tenfold intensity and concentration, chaining brilliant actions in defense. Stephen Curry also stepped up on offense to start the Warriors’ thunderous comeback in the third quarter. And the desire shown by the two leaders was contagious.
“We need this sacred fire because we can be a little crazy on the pitch, we lose balls and without his energy and his competitive spirit, it wouldn’t work. He is the link between our talent and our discipline.
Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, Jordan Poole and Donte DiVincenzo got in tune and the Warriors went from -20 to +13 in twenty minutes!
“Draymond dragged us to victory tonight,” summarized Steve Kerr. “His intensity, his frustration with the way we played at the start of the game. He was yelling at everyone, our bench, their bench, me, and frankly it was deserved. That first half was one of our worst halves of the season. And that’s what makes Draymond so special. It’s not just his basketball IQ, his creative qualities or his defense, it’s his will. We need this sacred fire because we can be a little crazy on the pitch, we lose balls and without his energy and his competitive spirit, it wouldn’t work. He is the link between our talent and our discipline. Its energy is the spark that allows us to be at our best. »
This performance is altogether symbolic of the Warriors’ season and their irregularity. They are able to get through it, like finding the resources that have led them to four league titles in eight seasons.
We have often heard them talk about this experience, these four rings as an assurance of their ability to raise their level of play when the time comes. They didn’t make it against Minnesota, however, and came close to corrections against the Pelicans after a horrible first half. And yet, this sacred fire that burns in Stephen Curry and Draymond Green is the reason why they fear no one in April, May or June. This is what will make them dangerous in the playoffs, even without home advantage.
Their end to the season will therefore be dictated by this constant balancing act between the face they showed in the first half against the Pelicans and that of the second half. The roller coaster continues.
Interview in San Francisco.
