Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green detailed the team’s mentality following their 126-121 play-in victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome, highlighting adversity, leadership, and belief in a late-season surge.
Green described the season-long challenges the Warriors have faced, stating, “We thought we had a pretty good shot at it… good team roster that kind of covers all the things that you need to cover on the roster and it unfortunately just hasn’t gone that way for us. A lot of injuries.”
He pointed to the response rather than the setbacks, adding, “One thing we’ve always hung our hats on is not being front runners. It’s easy when everything’s going right, to be upbeat, to believe. But who are you when everything goes wrong?”
Golden State, which finished the regular season 37–45, has battled roster instability, including extended absences that reshaped rotations throughout the year. Despite that, Green emphasized continued competitiveness.
“And I think for us, that’s what’s more motivating than anything. Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong this year. And yet we still have a chance,” he said. “So, what do you do with that chance?”
Stephen Curry’s return has been central to that opportunity, and Green credited both the coaching staff and the franchise’s veteran leadership structure. “When you have a leader like Steve Kerr… when you have a leader like Steph Curry that you can always rally around… when you’re following two guys like that things like this are possible.”
Green also reflected on Curry’s perseverance through injury setbacks, saying, “Most people would just be like, ‘I’m going to get myself right and I’ll do it again next year.’ But that’s never who he’s been.”
He continued, “When he’s on the floor, you always have a chance.”
Defensively, Green played a key role in limiting Kawhi Leonard during crucial stretches. He explained his approach simply: “I just tried to play really… tried not to give him much space. Tried to make him take tough shots.”
He expanded on the strategy against elite scorers: “If you think it’s a one-man job, I’ll see you after the game when you got 45.”
Green finished with 21 points and 8 assists, contributing on both ends as Golden State closed the game on a 16–6 run.
He also credited the team’s supporting cast, particularly Al Horford, stating, “You’re open, let it ride… that’s one of the guys we’re looking for to shoot that.”
Green emphasized roster depth as a deciding factor in the comeback, saying, “Gui Santos we’ve all watched the evolution and growth… both of those guys stepped up in a moment like this.”
He concluded by reinforcing the team’s championship experience, noting, “If you’ve won a championship, you’ve probably seen just about anything… we all leaned on each other.”
Golden State now advances to face the Phoenix Suns in a win-or-go-home matchup on Friday, with a playoff spot on the line against the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder.
