“I played my best NBA finals the year we lost” – Draymond Green picks 2016 Finals as his most valued game even after blowing a 3-1 lead to LeBron James & Cleveland Cavaliers
Draymond Green is practically a shoo-in for the James Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. As a four-time NBA champion, four-time All-Star and a Defensive Player of the Year, Green's reputation precedes itself. Throughout the Golden State Warriors' championship runs, Green made a tremendous impact both on and off the court.
Given how many times Green and the Warriors have shocked the world and delivered highlight plays, it's hard to pick his best moment. To him, however, there was one game that sticks out above the rest from the 2016 Finals.
During an episode of "ThrowingBones," he spoke about why he played his best finals the year the team lost. After blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Green and the Warriors were the subject of tremendous criticism. With much of the sporting world against them, it would be easy to write off the performance. By his account, there were plenty of memorable moments.
"It would be more selfish to me and how I played, in that NBA Finals and the reality is it's f****d up because I actually lost," Green said. "I played my best NBA Finals the year we lost."
It was then that Jalen Rose interjected, saying that Green had one of the greatest finals performances of any player, before Draymond said:
"My Game 7 was one of the greatest statlines in Game 7 history. Because we lost, and I don't expect anybody to talk about it, because no one talks about you when you lose, so I'm fine with that, but it was actually one of the greatest Game 7 Finals performances."
You can view the conversation on ThrowingBones in the video below. Draymond discussed his Game 7 performance around the 29-minute mark.
Draymond Green and the Warriors
Green and the Warriors have struggled this season in their quest to go back-to-back in the Finals. The Warriors (6-9) sit in 12th place in a stacked Western Conference.
The Warriors just haven't been able to get things going this year. On Sunday, the team lost 122-115 to the surprising Sacramento Kings, a game many predicted them to win. It halted a two-game win streak and put the team back in a position to question just what was going wrong. The loss to the Kings also continued their road futility. Golden State is 0-8 away from home.
Draymond Green and Jordan Poole
One thing many have pointed to as a source of frustration is the fight between Jordan Poole and Draymond Green during training camp. Although the two agreed to move on from the incident, the situation was a major storyline going into the season.
Whether it's the altercation itself, the expectations or something else entirely, the Warriors have looked like a shell of their former selves. The team looked absolutely dominant last season when they won the NBA Finals, setting a pretty high bar for themselves for the season ahead.
However, as the team looked to lock down Jordan Poole for a long-term deal, things seemed optimistic. So far, this season has been anything but.
Do you think the Warriors will be able to pull it together? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.