Draymond Green is a certified legend at Golden State Warriors and the big man has signed a new extension to remain with the franchise. The Warriors are one of the most successful dynasties and a major reason for that has to be Green’s consistency over the years.
He recently spoke about the impact that he had in the 2016 NBA Finals. He looked back at the finals and felt that if things could have worked out differently then he could have won the Finals MVP.
Back then, the Warriors went up against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the series went on to seven games. The Cavs dramatically back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Championship. Green feels that if the Warriors had won the Championship then he may have ended up with the Finals MVP award.
The Warriors big man in his conversation with Paul George shared that it is probably the biggest ‘what if’ moment for him in his NBA career. “It’s like the greatest teaser of my life,” Green said. “I had 32 points, 15 boards, and nine assists, and if we win that game, I’m the finals MVP, but did I really deserve it”
“Because we never should’ve been in a Game 7, and if we never get that far, do I then win a finals MVP if we finish it in five? So I look back on that, and I’m like, ‘Okay, what changes if that does happen? Does my mindset change? Does it now allow me to be what I’ve been to this team? Does it now allow me to be as humble as I’ve been in my situation?’
He discussed the entire scenario with Paul George on the latter’s podcast. Although Green spoke about it so passionately, he highlights that he doesn’t regret it. The big man has won five championships with the franchise and hardly has anything to complain about.
“It’s like the greatest what if in my life, yet it’s one of the biggest teachers in my life and I don’t regret it one bit,” Green concluded.
Green was fantastic for the Warriors during the finals against the Cavs as he averaged 16.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.3. However Green missed out on Game 5 due to a flagrant foul that he committed in the previous game.
Many believe that Green’s absence fueled the Cavs and therefore they scripted history by completing the greatest comeback in sports history. To elevate their achievement even further, that season the Warriors finished the regular season with a historic 73 wins.
