"It was Draymond's call, Draymond and Steph's" - Mike Brown reveals Draymond Green and Steph Curry as key decision-makers for including veteran big in Golden State's starting lineup for Game 6
Golden State Warriors stand-in head coach Mike Brown revealed veteran star players Draymond Green and Steph Curry were behind Kevon Looney's inclusion in the starting lineup for Game 6 against Memphis.
The Warriors had blown a golden opportunity to close the series in their last match, losing the tie by a whopping 39-point margin (134-95). Their lack of size played a significant loss in that game. It also proved to be their Achilles on several occasions against the Memphis Grizzlies throughout the series.
However, Green and Curry helped coach Mike Brown change his tactics, and that decision paid dividends as Looney's presence had a great deal of impact in the Warriors' 110-96 closeout Game 6 win on Friday.
Here's what Brown said regarding this in the post-match interview (h/t Anthony Slater):
"The reality of it was, it was Draymond's call, Draymond and Steph's. And it's our job to give our players confidence, and they looked us all in the eye and said that's where we're gonna get our confidence, and they've done it before."
Brown continued:
"Draymond has carried this organization for years, obviously Steph and Klay with their shooting, but what Draymond does it's unbelievable. Steve (Kerr) is gonna roll with Draymond, no matter what the outcome is."
Mike Brown on the decision to start Kevon Looney: “It was Draymond’s call. Draymond and Steph.” https://t.co/3CJLSLtdCb
Kevon Looney's return to the starting lineup proved vital in the eventual scheme of things. The veteran center grabbed a staggering 22 rebounds on the night and 11 apiece on either end, helping the Dubs gain extra possessions that led to their win.
The Warriors had 70 rebounds tonight to close out the Grizzlies. That's an NBA high for rebounds by any team in any game this season. Kevon Looney had 21, Draymond Green had 15, Andrew Wiggins had 11. They had 45 defensive rebounds and 25 offensive rebounds. Wild.
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green deliver the goods as Warriors advance to Western Conference Finals
The Gloden State Warriors' big-three, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, put on a show in their side's Game 6 closeout win over the Memphis Grizzlies. After suffering an embarrassing loss in their previous outing, the three gave a fitting response in Friday's contest.
Curry scored 29 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists. Thompson registered a team-high 30 points, shooting eight of 14 from the 3-point range while doing an excellent job defensively as he tallied eight rebounds and three blocks. Green also displayed a solid two-way game as he bagged 14 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists.
It was a closely contested game, but the Dubs' stepped up their efforts down the stretch, outscoring the Grizzlies 32-19 in the fourth quarter. Steph Curry handled business on the offensive end in the final frame of the match as he went off for 11 points on four of seven shooting, including three triples.
The Warriors will now face the Dallas Mavericks or Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals.