Draymond Green revealed that he had a concussion during the final stretch of the record 2016 season - “I just played through it”
During the 2015-16 season, Draymond Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson led the Golden State Warriors to a 73-9 campaign. They reset the NBA record set by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls during the 1995-96 season.
On Paul George's podcast, the former Defensive Player of the Year winner narrated the sacrifice he had to go through to help his team:
(2:01:40 mark)
“I remember I got hit in the head by Joe Ingles. I go up for a loose ball and I fell down. This may be five games left in the regular season. I was concussed as hell and I told nobody. If I sit any of these games, we might never get that [regular season] record. … So, I played through it.
“We always talk about “load management” the amount of s**t I played through, we played through that year to get that was insane.”
The game Draymond Green referred to was the Golden State Warriors' matchup against the Utah Jazz on March 30, 2016. Golden State won 103-96 in overtime.
After the game, Green talked to reporters and said this after the Warriors improved their record to 68-7:
"That is playoff-style basketball right there, and to come out with a win when you play probably a C-game, that says a lot about our team. [The record] is something we want to do, we've spoken on this. It is no secret.
It will be a cool thing to do, but we have to worry about getting better each and every night. I think if we worry about that, the wins will take care of themselves."
The Golden State Warriors limped to 5-2 in their next seven games to barely set the record. Draymond Green played 81 games that season, the most in the team. The Dubs had 11 players who saw action in at least 65 games, the most during their five-year run to the NBA Finals.
Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors' historical regular-season run was spoiled by LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers
The Warriors, despite a mind-boggling run to the playoffs, showed weaknesses in the postseason. They fell to a 3-1 hole to Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder before rallying for the win to secure another NBA Finals appearance.
After the Warriors staked a 3-1 lead against LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers, things fell apart. Draymond Green was suspended in Game 5 after accrual of flagrant foul points. The Warriors collapsed in what is considered the biggest upset in NBA history.
The Block, The Shot, The Stop
On This Day in 2016, The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the 73 win Warriors 93-89 in Game 7 to Clinch the first Championship in Franchise History as their Big 3 each made a memorable Clutch play in the win https://t.co/UoJqakHwHp
Draymond Green had a fantastic Game 7 but fell short just like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala did.
Green had this to say about that loss:
(1:56:56 mark)
"When I look back at it. It’s the greatest what-if in my life. What if Andre’s [Iguodala] shot doesn’t get blocked? If the shot doesn’t get blocked, we win and I’m the finals MVP. It’s like the sweetest, salty flavor I can ask for.
"My Game 7 would have been talked about forever. ... I had come to terms with, in the end, I got what I deserved."
Also read: Draymond Green says he would have been Finals MVP if the Warriors didn’t lose to LeBron James and the Cavs in 2016 - “The greatest teaser of my life”