SAN FRANCISCO – News began to spread Monday night in the Warriors’ locker room that the Denver Nuggets would be without Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Christian Bruan a little more than an hour before tipoff.
Relief wasn’t felt. Disappointment was, perhaps from Draymond Green more than anybody.
Battling Jokić, a three-time NBA MVP who is averaging a triple-double this season, is like wrestling a bear blindfolded. All you hope for is survival. Most don’t make it out. But those are the challenges Green lives for.
It’s not like Draymond didn’t show up in the Warriors’ letdown of a loss to the Nuggets, especially defensively, where he had five blocked shots and three steals. If his intensity always is at a 10, though, he turned the knob to 12 or higher 24 hours later guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo in a game where the Warriors were without Steph Curry against the Milwaukee Bucks on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Warriors needed to set a tone early Tuesday night, and fire could be felt rising from the Chase Center hardwood, with Green being the architect of a gut-check 104-93 win over the Bucks.
“He’s always like that. It’s not just Giannis. He don’t give a damn who he’s going against. If he’s going up against a damn five-year-old,” Jimmy Butler said, earning laughs from reporters. “No, seriously. He would hate for that individual to score on him, and he wouldn’t want anybody helping. It’s like, this is my matchup, this is on me and I got to get a stop.”
Green let Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Bucks know what kind of night they were in for from the start. Within the first four and a half minutes of the game, he already blocked three shots, beginning with the Bucks’ opening possession where Green trailed Antetokounmpo, stayed vertical and met him under the basket. Green’s second blocked shot was his most impressive, highlighting how unique of a defender he is.
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A mere two minutes after Green’s first block, he showed on a Damian Lillard high screen, going past the free-throw line, only to recover quick enough to flip his hips, slide and meet Antetokounmpo, who is at least five inches taller than him, at the rim.
His third block of the first quarter was another example of how there aren’t any defenders like Green. Maybe ever. He went from guarding 7-foot center Brook Lopez in the post to recognizing Taurean Price was beating Quinten Post off the dribble fast enough that Green was able to rotate and block his attempt of a floater.
Green on his fourth and final block of the night lured Kevin Porter Jr. into thinking he had enough space behind the arc. He didn’t. Green stepped up right as Porter went to unload for three, knocking the ball upon its release.
Below are all four of his blocked shots. Each shows the many ways Green can completely disrupt an offense.
“He’s the best defender I’ve ever seen,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I mean, you see the pick-and-roll with Dame. If he’s in it, he kind of does this fake blitz thing with his speed, with his anticipation. He forces Dame back out towards halfcourt and he’s able to get back. The speed and recovery with Draymond is just stunning.
“And then the brain that goes with it. If he’s on the weak side, he’s constantly coming over to help. He’s one of the great defenders of all time, and he’s still doing it at a high level.”
Blocking shots wasn’t the only way Green dominated defensively, too. He also had two steals in the second quarter, including this one that again emphasizes how he sees and affects everything.
Butler is in his 14th NBA season. Playing 17 games alongside his fellow 35-year-old has given him an enhanced sense of appreciation for Green.
“Hell yeah,” Butler said. “I think you have to respect the hell out of what he does, and it’s so hard to do. To shoot the ball, I don’t know, four times maybe, if that, and then just lock in on defense every possession down and get mad when anybody scores — not just the guy he’s guarding — you don’t find that around the league too often.
“He has won at this level. He is a Hall of Famer for a reason. I just respect what he brings to this squad, what he brings to this locker room and how he affects winning in every single way.”
Stats of course play a major part in awards. Voting also can be subjective, which is why Green somehow only has one Defensive Player of the Year award. He’s coming for No. 2 right now, and believes he should have a strong case, even more so with Victor Wembanyama out for the season.
What he did to Antetokounmpo should be the film every voter watches. Green guarded him for seven minutes, and Antetokounmpo, who is second in the NBA averaging 30.2 points per game, didn’t score once on him. He was 0 of 7, trapped in Green’s defensive spell.
The stats Tuesday night did Green justice. Often times they don’t tell the full story, particularly on defense, requiring watching the game to actually make it clear why Green deserves so much applause.
“I look around the league and I don’t see many players impacting the game on the defensive side the way I do,” Green said. “I don’t see many players completely throwing off an entire team’s offense the way I do. So, one thousand percent. Especially with Wemby going down. Seemed like he had it won, and now it’s right there.
“One million percent I have a case, and I’ll continue to build a case over these next 13 games. But tonight I think was a prime example of it.”
The stats against top players matches the eye test. Zion Williamson in two games has been blocked six times by Green and has shot 41.7 percent (10 of 24) this season. Paolo Banchero went 7 of 21 (33.3 percent) when guarded by Green in two games. Kyrie Irving was 4 of 13 (30.8 percent) in their four matchups, and Jalen Green is 0 of 5 with two turnovers in three games against the Warriors while being defended by Draymond this season.
He’s a terror to players of all skill sets, all shapes and sizes. Those on the East Coast, this is your reminder to stay up late to appreciate a defensive clinic. Those on the West Coast, consider yourself lucky.
Draymond only having one Defensive Player of the Year is a crime equal to Kevin Garnett just claiming one, and Tim Duncan having none. The Warriors will have to keep winning, and Green will have to remain healthy, but he’s on a mission and the league knows trying to get in his way is never a good idea.
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