Draymond on Stephen Curry Interchange: “What are the odds that the exit number is 30?”
[transcript from Warriors-Hornets]
00:00 It’s five of six now for you guys. What do you — what’s clicking? What do you like about the way you guys are playing?
00:04 DRAYMOND GREEN, POSTGAME GSW-CHA: I think we’re moving the ball better offensively, starting to connect the game, using our defense to get points tonight. It didn’t really translate to points. We didn’t get many fast break opportunities, but I think we’re just getting to the stuff that we need to get to, offensively. It’s not so random. We know what we’re trying to get to and it’s a lot better offensive possessions, not as many empty possessions as we have.
00:31 How has the past week-and-a-half just been for you and just what kind of groove do you feel like your game is in now, these last few games?
00:38 Past weekend has been great, just finding that rhythm. Had a little hiccup there with missed a game, then ejection, then next game, so just gotta find the rhythm and I wanted to make sure that coming out of that, that I came out doing my part and bringing what I need to bring to this team.
01:05 Draymond, you went to Davidson last night, it looked like, to see Steph’s there. What made you want to do that?
01:13 That’s my guy. People get interstates and exchanges and exits and highways and all that stuff named after them when they die, not when you are living. That’s living legend status. And I wouldn’t be in Charlotte, North Carolina and miss that. The journey that we’ve been on together, I’ve watched his journey to that sign. And so I’m very grateful for the Davidson whole tribe making it happen while we’re in town. Didn’t cost me an extra trip, which is nice, but yeah, I wouldn’t miss a moment like that for him. And I can be there and just what a special honor. I was talking to Dell (Curry) last night, like what are the odds that the exit number is 30? And then Steph’s 30. And he actually become who he’s become and somebody walk in with the idea like, actually, this should be that. All the things that has to go right for that thing to happen. Wow. So, man, that’s incredible. Unreal. I thought I was big shit at Michigan State. No way. Wow.
02:51 Draymond, to that point, wherever you guys go, there are fans that want to see Steph, get here early in the arena, but do you sense or feel something different when you guys come to Charlotte? Do you feel a different level of support or a different level of energy from the crowd?
03:05 Definitely a different level of support. Steph Curry effect. You go on road games and a lot of them sometimes can feel like home games. This is always a little different. This is also one of the places where I see a different focus in his eyes. There’s certain places where he going, he’s going to put on the show. Charlotte’s been one of them. Toronto, a lot of family up there, that being one of them. And so I just know the arenas where he comes in and didn’t get a few calls early, which really turned him up, but it’s great. This is one of the few arenas I don’t get booed in, thanks to Steph, so I appreciate it. I had so much love at Davidson Arena last night. It was incredible, so appreciate the man, the myth, the legend. I have a huge appreciation for that.
03:59 What stands out to you about closing with Will and De’Anthony with, you Jimmy and Steph?
04:06 The shooting, the defensive prowess that both of those guys, they caused a bunch of havoc. Them two guys at the point of attack in that last group came up with a couple big turnovers — where was that? Brooklyn. And then fast forward to tonight and we got stop after stop down the stretch with those two guys at the point of attack. Will, big three. Really like what those two guys bring to that group and allow Steph, Jimmy, and myself to do what we do.
04:39 Hello Draymond, you’ve been staying late for a long time, but when you back to the bench, what are you gonna do? What are you gonna see and seeing when help you to ran it back on the court?
04:52 Just always really trying to keep understanding of the flow of the game, how it’s being officiated at that point in the game, what they’re trying to get to, what’s working, what’s not working for us offensively and defensively. I think it’s just important that when you are on the bench, you stay involved in the game because, with the way this game’s played, there’s constant swings and one minute pick-and-roll may be great for you, the next minute off-ball things may be great for you, so you always have to kind of keep attention and focus on what’s going on out there, what’s working, what’s not working, so that when you come in the game, you could either do what’s working or do the opposite.
05:32 And the first game miss Chris DeMarco. What’s that mean?
05:38 Weird not having CD here. He’s been here my entire career, but extremely grateful for the time that he’s spent here on what he’s given to us as an organization, what he’s given to me as an individual and, more importantly, the friendship that we share. Wishing him well on his journey with the New York Liberty. I know it’ll be great because he’s great and the focus and everything that he’s poured into becoming the coach that he’s become. And now he gets an opportunity to show all of that work that he’s been putting in the last 14, 15 years. And I’m excited because I know it’ll be great.
06:23 Draymond, tip in and a big three late in the game, just talk us through those two possessions.
06:28 They hadn’t been guarding me, sagging off the whole game and good friend of mine, Steve Stoute, always say, “Draymond, I don’t know about betting on you the whole game when you shoot a three, but when you shoot in the last five minutes, I’m betting all my money on you.” I like that moment. You’re gonna help, I’m not gonna hesitate in that moment. Throughout the flow of the game, I’ll turn the shots down. I don’t really care, but in that moment, you gonna sag off like that? I can shoot the ball a little bit. I told their bench at the end of the game. A lot of coaches been fired guarding me like that, so yeah, y’all should tell y’all coach should be careful. And then the tip in, Jacob Rubin is always on me about — he’s, “Man, I think you can get a couple more crash opportunities, but at the end of the game you have to go. It’s a non-negotiable.” You have to go and they double teamed Steph, which left a path right to the rim. And I was able to get the put back, but if I wasn’t there Will was right there, Johnny on the spot. So we would’ve got the ball anyway, which is good.
07:34 So you’ve always been one of the glue guys, do whatever needs to be done on the court at a time. Do you see Santos falling in that mold?
07:42 He is. He’s just a ball of energy, wrecking ball of energy. He, offensively, he’s crashing, really good defensive rebounder, knocking shots down. He gets in the teeth of the defense when he puts the ball on the floor, can finish or make the next play. Love the player that Gui Santos has grown into and every time his name and number’s called, he’s ready to go. Plus-15 tonight in 16 minutes. That’s incredible and a real key reason why we won this game.
08:13 But a lot of what he does, doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. Same with yourself.
08:18 You look at the Brooklyn game, he had an incredible game. I think he had zero points. Incredible game. The energy that he brought to the game for us when he got in the game flipped for us. We were struggling there in that first quarter. Gui Santos gets in, the game flips. So I can appreciate — I can always appreciate a guy who does the things that don’t show up in the stat sheet because you can’t win if you don’t have guys like that on your team.
08:42 Yeah, and the aspect, because he seems to also, find joy in doing those simple things and--
08:47 Like screening, cutting, crashing, defending, putting his body on the line. That’s a guy who I don’t think he has a different speed. Everything, he’s one speed. He’s putting his body on the line each and every time, so it’s good for us having on our side.
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