Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gave credit to Draymond Green for willing them on to a 120-109 victory against New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. In fact, the Dubs were in arrears by 17 points after the first half and Green knew he needed to give a boost to his team to help them bounce back.
The Warriors had their back against the wall but Green guided his team on the right track. The home team took the third quarter by 39-25 and then took the final quarter by 35-20 to seal the deal.
“Draymond willed us to victory tonight,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after their 120-109 win. “Just the intensity, the frustration early with the way we were playing. Mad at the world, yelling at everybody — their bench, our bench, me — and frankly, we deserved it.”
With 3:45 remaining in the second quarter, Green picked up his 17th technical foul of the season. Green was involved in some shoving with Brandon Ingram and received a flagrant foul 1.
The veteran could be fined $5000 if the technical foul he received isn’t canceled.
“It was perfect. Perfectly executed,” Green said. “We looked dead those first 18 minutes. We had to find some energy somewhere. It wasn’t just going to come, especially after losing the game like we did last game; that can carry over. I felt like it did. I knew we had to do something and do it fast before the game got out of hand.”
Green revealed he isn’t going to change his intensity when he steps on the court irrespective of the fouls.
“I’ve got to play with the same intensity I try to play with each and every time I step on the court,” Green said. “I can’t worry about that. For me, if I’m going to change my intensity level, then why be out there?”
“At the point that I’m going to put myself out there like that, you hope guys will back me up,” Green said. “If not, then our season’s over anyways.”
Stephen Curry added that the players will always put their backs behind Green. Curry was also involved in the scrum when Green ran into Jones.
“He knows that guys are backing him up,” Curry said. “I’m sure [Green] wouldn’t go out on an island like that if he didn’t have that confidence. … There are times where I got to keep him in check and bring him back in when it’s turning in the wrong direction in the sense of staying focused on just winning.”
Golden State Warriors will next face San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.
