Warriors' Draymond Green Addresses 4th-Quarter Bench Stint After Game 4 Win
Draymond Green struggled yet again in Game 4, scoring just two points on 1-of-7 shooting from the field, and found himself on the bench for much of the fourth quarter in the Golden State Warriors series-evening 107-97 win over the Boston Celtics.
After the contest, Green told reporters he was "definitely not thrilled" with that decision from head coach Steve Kerr, especially in a close game in the fourth quarter, but that he understood it given that the group on the court was playing well.
"At the end of the day, if that's what coach decides, you roll with it," he added. "I had to keep my head in the game."
It surely was a tough decision for Kerr, given how much Green has meant to the franchise and his contributions to three championship teams in the past. Green's defense and playmaking have remained a big part of Golden State's success, even if he's struggled mightily in this particular series.
But the decision proved fruitful, as the Warriors closed the game on a 17-3 run and earned a crucial win, evening the series at two games apiece. That helped the Warriors steal the home-court advantage back from the Celtics, led by the heroics of Stephen Curry (43 points, 10 rebounds).
The Warriors, however, need more from Green, who is averaging a woeful 4.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists in four Finals games, shooting 25 percent from the field and 0-for-9 from three.
Green has never been an offensive juggernaut, but he's been particularly bad in the past two games, with a total of four points on 2-of-11 shooting in those contests. It's gotten to the point that it often feels as though the Celtics aren't even looking at him, let alone guarding him.
And Green almost appeared to have the yips at times in the game:
The veteran forward, to his credit, did play well late when subbed back on, coming up with a few big moments in the win.
But the Warriors need Green to figure out his struggles on the offensive end, and fast. Curry's heroics and a tough call from Kerr bailed the Warriors out on Friday, but Green is one of Golden State's most important players, and he needs to play well enough to be on the court in pivotal moments going forward.
