Jun 7, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) knocks the ball away from Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during overtime in game two of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
By: Scott Horlbeck
The heartbeat of the team isn’t thumping like it normally does.
If you haven’t seen or heard – which seems impossible at this point based on how many times it’s been covered in the media – Draymond Green is commonly referred to as “the heartbeat” of the Warriors.
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But through the first two games of the NBA Finals, something seems a bit off with Green. Not so much with the intangibles of his game – leadership, effort, etc. – but rather his game itself.
With 2:39 left in overtime – the Warriors down five – Green found himself posted up on Matthew Dellavedova. He took two hard dribbles, then let fly a right-handed jump hook. The ball was short, but before anyone could corral the miss, Green flew in for the put-back, cutting the Cavaliers lead to three.
This was his first field goal of the game.
I had no idea until Mike Breen made it clear in his broadcast – and the way he did so made it seem as though he was just as surprised as me.
Green finished the game with a double-double (10-10) along with five steals and four blocks. A nice all-around game on the surface, nothing to make you think there was anything wrong with him.
But upon closer look, Green attempted just seven shots in the game, only four in regulation.
Green has never been a passive player and throughout these playoffs, you could argue he’s almost been too aggressive at times (my favorite is his coast to coast sprint that leads to either a lob dunk or a turnover), but a seven shot game in the Finals doesn’t seem right for him.
In the Houston series, Green averaged 14.4 PPG on 13.4 shots. He attempted 20 3s and had a usage rate of 19.54%.
In the two games vs. Cleveland so far, Green is averaging 11.0 PPG on just 10 shots. He’s attempted only 4 3s – none of which he’s connected on – and has a usage rate of 17.25%.
It’s only two games, but all of Green’s offensive shooting numbers are down when you compare them to the Houston series. The same can be said for his rebounding numbers. Take a look:
He’s averaging four less rebounds per game and grabbing 10% less of his opportunities on defensive rebounds.
So what’s the answer? Why the decrease in production?
My guess: Tristan Thompson
If you play pick-up, you know what it’s like to get matched up on the energizer bunny. The guy on the other team with all the energy, who sprints around, picks you up full-court, crashes the glass like his life depends on it.
It’s exhausting chasing him all over the court, constantly reminding yourself to box him out, look over your shoulder, not lose sight of him on a cut.
That’s pretty similar to how Thompson plays, just less about the offensive part and ten times more about the rebounding part.
Thompson is an absolute monster on the glass, and this playoff run for Cleveland has showcased just how much of a terror he can be for an opposing team.
Green has been the primary defender on Thompson throughout this series. And like a worn-down defensive lineman or a boxer who’s taken too many body blows, I’m starting to wonder if Thompson’s relentless energy is having an effect on Green’s offensive production.
Here, Green receives an entry pass from Curry on what looks to be the beginning of a set play. On the catch, Green pivots baseline and hoists a fade-away jumper.
I haven’t seen Green take too many of these shots, and you have to wonder if fatigue is playing a factor here.
When a player is expending most of his energy on defense, it’s difficult to still make a contribution on the offensive end. To compensate, players usually revert to taking lazy or forced shots.
They also get frustrated.
Green goes to set a back screen on Iman Shumpert. Shumpert fights over it, then Green hits him again, this time with a little more oomph. Ref sees it and whistles Green for the foul.
This is all obviously just speculation, as it’s impossible to say what’s really going on with his production. It could be a million different things. It could be nothing. Let’s just hope he gets it figured out before Game 3.