This post was supposed to be about Warriors forward Draymond Green analyzing Golden State’s elite defense alongside ESPN’s Doris Burke, and it sort of still is.
But something that Green says to Burke in the course of their conversation caught my ear. After discussing the nuances of the Warriors’ defense, led by Green, Burke asks the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year whether Golden State has what it takes to compete for another championship.
Green should know, after all. He’s won three NBA titles with the Warriors.
Here’s what Green says:
“The aura around the team, the vibe around the team, the feel, like you can feel it … I think we do have a legitimate chance to compete for a championship.” –Draymond Green
ESPN
Here’s the entire clip.
Considering the Warriors have the NBA’s best record thus far and still have superstar guard Stephen Curry in his prime, Green’s comment is difficult to refute.
But the factor that validates Green’s comment the most is that elite defense I referenced earlier. Even Curry, long considered a weakness on defense, is playing at a high level on that end of the court. The Warriors are currently No. 1 in the NBA in defensive rating, and by no small margin.
Golden State still has All-Star guard Klay Thompson set to return in January, and the same goes for 7-foot center James Wiseman. Green, Curry, and the rest of the team already have a good vibe going, and they figure to add to it, especially with Thompson, who has also won three NBA titles in the Bay Area.
Still, it’s not even Christmas yet. Green knows the Warriors have a lot of work to do. But he also knows a whole lot about championships vibes. In Golden State, that elite feeling has clearly returned in a major way.
Bay Area Sports Hub 