Draymond Green: The NBA’s New Defensive Force
By Tom West
Draymond Green has been a integral part to the Golden State Warriors this season and is on his way to potential NBA stardom, thanks to his defense
Draymond Green has been a pivotal part of the Golden State Warriors all season long. He’s emerged as one of the best defenders in the game and has the second-best defensive rating in the entire league. The young star could be on his way to becoming Defensive Player of the Year, yet he’s still vastly underrated and is hardly even mentioned while his teammates are busy burying threes left, right and center.
Largely, it’s due to the simple fact that defense itself is underrated. If you think of superstars, they’re pretty much all athletic freaks like Blake Griffin or guys who can score at will like Kevin Durant.
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So when you’re playing on the best team in the Western Conference and arguably the best team in the NBA, it’s even more difficult to become a stand out player. Especially when your point guard, Stephen Curry, is one of the most dynamic scorers in the league and a potential MVP candidate, and your shooting guard, Klay Thompson, is able to score 37 points in a single quarter.
That’s the scenario for Golden State Warriors forward, Draymond Green.
What makes Green special, though, is that his team’s success will always come before individual achievements. And rather than taking pride in flashy scoring performances, he can be assured by the fact that his defensive talents have made his team a top championship contender.
Dec 25, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) grabs a rebound in front of Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford (11) and guard Chris Paul (3) at Staples Center. The Clippers won 100-86. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Calling Green an elite ‘3 and D’ player (someone who plays great defense and shoots 3’s) would be a major understatement. Because the fact that Green has the second-best defensive rating in the entire league (95.4), of players that average at least 30 minutes per game, is far more impressive when assessing his impact to the Warriors this year.
Golden State is ranked 1st in defensive rating (only 97.1 points allowed per 100 possessions) so of course the teammates he has around him help increase his rating to an extent. However, that doesn’t alter the fact that Green has still been the most valuable player on the league’s best defense. Yes, Andrew Bogut is vital in the paint, but Green is vital everywhere.
This is what ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh had to say about Green’s defense:
"Among the 18 players who have defended at least 75 post-ups, no one has held their opponent to a lower payoff than Green (0.68 points per post-up). The guy does everything. Pick any advanced defensive metric and Green is right near the top. For Defensive Player of the Year, that’s my leader in the clubhouse."
Green has the speed to keep up with guards and agile small forwards, and the strength to stick with big men in the post and hold them away from the basket. This allows him to split his playing time between both forward positions, and he’s only getting better in terms of versatility (now spending 48 percent of his playing time at power forward, an increase of 17 percent from last year).
Dec 25, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) guards Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) in the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Green doesn’t back down from any defensive challenge. If he’s guarding someone man-to-man, he won’t let them out of his sight. If he’s left on the weak side, then he’ll do everything he can to storm across the court to swat a shot or intercept a pass.
What makes Green even more effective is the fact that he has the perfect combination of aggression and patience. He’s not too ‘block happy’ and tries to send everything in sight out the court, but, equally, he never becomes passive when guarding opponents. When looking at his footwork, this kind of mentality is more noticeable than ever.
Green sticks to his opponents like glue when they attack the paint. He excels at reading how players are looking to attack so he can match their movements step by step, to contest them all the way to the basket or elevate for a block.
His 1.4 blocks per game is the eighth highest mark among all forwards, and second best compared to small forwards. To put that into perspective, that’s more than (projected) All-Star power forwards Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge, and twice as many per game as four-time MVP, LeBron James.
It’s not just his uncanny ability to force big men away from the rim as a 6’7″ forward that makes Green a special defender though, it’s his quickness and agility that lets him work opponent’s passing lanes so well, too. Averaging 1.6 steals per game, in only 31 minutes playing time, is something that not many players required to defend the paint so much can do.
Whether he’s storming across for a block or to cut off a pass, Green is exceptional at coming over from the weak side to support his teammates.
Dec 13, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Richard Jefferson (24) and guard Monta Ellis (11) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) fight for the loose ball during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Warriors defeated the Mavericks 105-98. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
No Warrior hustles harder than Green, and he’s the main reason why Golden State is ranked in the top four in both steals (9.4 per game) and blocks (6.4 per game).
Very few players can bring the versatility that Green does. When Bogut is healthy enough to control the paint, and Curry and Thompson are commanding the perimeter, it’s no surprise that Steve Kerr’s Warriors are having the best season in franchise history. As they’ve currently won 85.7 percent of this year’s games, whereas their previous best is 72 percent, which was set all the way back in 1975.
On the boards, Green is just as relentless. He’s averaging 8 rebounds per game (second among small forwards, with only Kawhi Leonard being 0.1 ahead) and he snatched the last second offensive rebound last night to send the Warriors to overtime against the Bulls
And if all these strengths of Green’s defense weren’t enough, he’s even a well rounded player on offense as well.
The Warriors are first in the league in assists per game (27.2) and Green is a surprisingly important part of that. Typically, Curry and Andre Iguodala are the ones known for making plays, but Green is still contributing four assists per 36 minutes.
And when receiving the ball, Green has shown this season just how well he’s developed his jump shot. He may not create his own shots very often, but now shooting 15 percent better from behind the three-point line than he was two years ago in his rookie season, it’s clear that Green’s meshing perfectly alongside the Splash Brothers in Kerr’s dynamic offense.
After all, he made seven 3’s against the Chicago Bulls last month, only one shy of Curry’s season high.
Maybe Green belongs in the three-point contest, as well?
If none of this has made you feel inclined to rate Draymond Green as the All-Star quality player he is, then hopefully his deserved accolades at the end of the season will change your mind. As it stands so far, Green should be making the All-Defensive 1st team. If he continues what he’s been doing, then he’s a strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
He’s the best defender on the league’s best defensive team, and he deserves to be rewarded for it.