Draymond Green didn’t mince words following the Golden State Warriors’ 124-119 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers that dropped them out of a guaranteed playoff spot.
Speaking to reporters postgame, Green emphasized the level of urgency both teams played with, saying, “Two teams were fighting to get into the playoffs… they got it done, we didn’t.”
The Warriors, now locked into the Western Conference play-in tournament, will face the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center on Tuesday.
Golden State finished the regular season with a 48-34 record, matching Memphis, but lost the tiebreaker based on head-to-head results and division standings.
The defeat came despite Stephen Curry’s 36-point performance and a 30-point, 9-assist outing from Jimmy Butler, who joined the Warriors midseason.
Los Angeles clinched the fifth seed behind 39 points from James Harden and 33 from Kawhi Leonard, who combined for 72 points and controlled the overtime period.
“We haven’t fared well in these play-in games, so we’ve got to make sure we’re locked in and ready to go,” Green said about the upcoming challenge.
Golden State has lost both its previous play-in appearances under the current format — to the Lakers and Grizzlies in 2021.
The Clippers’ dominance on the boards played a key role in the result, with a 42-25 rebounding edge, including nine offensive rebounds.
“It’s tough to win,” Green said. “We also didn’t get a lot of loose balls… the long rebounds, the loose ones — we’re not getting.”
Leonard, who had missed the first three meetings against the Warriors this season, added seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals in 47 minutes.
Harden shot 13-of-23 from the field and hit five threes, logging nearly 49 minutes while dishing out 10 assists.
Golden State had a final opportunity to extend the game but Buddy Hield missed a contested three-pointer at the buzzer.
Despite the loss, Green pointed to the presence of Butler as a difference-maker for the Warriors heading into the play-in: “Just riding our aces — that’s it.”
With Tuesday’s matchup looming, Golden State will try to avoid a third consecutive early exit and secure a spot in the first round.
“We’ll be fine with the quick turnaround,” Green said. “As far as it being a quick turnaround — we’ll be all right.”
Looking ahead, Green said the addition of Butler has changed the team’s identity in pressure moments.
“It’s completely different,” Green said. “Just having that extra added weapon — having another number one next to Steph — it’s different.”
