"Big game baby": Draymond Green's wife Hazel Renee shows love to Warriors forward after 5-7 3-point night
Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors invaded the LA Lakers’ home turf and walked away with a 134-120 win on Tuesday. The Dubs edged the hosts 3-1 in the season series, which might have given them the right to host a play-in tournament game. If the Warriors finish tied with the same win-loss slate as their beaten opponents, Golden State will earn ninth place over LA.
Green had another underrated role in the Warriors’ drubbing of the Lakers. Klay Thompson and Steph Curry dominated the scoring, but it was the star forward’s work on both ends that made the Bay Area team hum. “Dray” took advantage of Anthony Davis’ absence and filled up the stat sheet with 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
After the game, Draymond Green’s wife went on Instagram to send her husband a message:
“Big Game Baby Baby @moneygreen23”
The Warriors executed their game plan with very few mistakes, particularly in the first half.
Without AD anchoring LA’s defense, the visitors repeatedly drove hard to the rim. If the Lakers defense collapsed, they willingly moved the ball out to give their shooters open looks. Golden State hit 15-of-22 3-point attempts by doing a rinse and repeat of the same strategy.
The Lakers changed their coverage to start the second half by staying home on Golden State’s hot shooters. LA’s adjustment worked for most of the third quarter, but the Warriors wouldn't be denied. Draymond Green was at the heart of how his team dissected LA’s defense with the way he directed plays.
The icing on the cake was Green’s outside shooting. “Dray” made defenders pay by sinking all but two of his 3-point attempts against the Lakers. LA’s strategy to sag off of him blew up in its face.
Draymond Green acknowledged Anthony Davis’ absence caused the Lakers problems
Anthony Davis couldn’t finish the LA Lakers’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday after he was inadvertently hit by Kyle Anderson. “AD,” who was also nursing an injured eye, was scrapped for his team’s marquee showdown against Draymond Green and the Warriors.
The Dubs attacked LA’s defense right off the bat to take advantage of Davis’ absence. Green said about the Lakers’ disadvantage sans their most capable defender and rim protector:
“It’s different when it’s AD out there. He can cover up so many mistakes. It’s a different look for them when he’s out there.”
It wasn’t just on defense that Anthony Davis was missed. Minus his threat in rampaging rim attacks, Draymond Green roamed around playing safety. When the former Defensive Player of the Year was not covering someone, he was disrupting passes and ruining LA’s sets.
The Golden State Warriors and LA Lakers are likely headed for a titanic showdown to determine which of them advances. Green will be ready for Davis to suit up and show thta the Warriors can get the job done even with AD on the Lakers' roster.