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Draymond Green, NBA Twitter Call Out Warriors Defense for Loss vs. Kawhi, Clippers
February 15, 2023
The Golden State Warriors will go into the All-Star break with a lot of questions to answer following a 134-124 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
Problems that have plagued the reigning NBA champions all season were on display in this game. They are now 7-22 on the road, tied with the Detroit Pistons for the third-worst mark in the league.
Golden State's defense allowed the Clippers, who have the fourth-worst scoring offense in the NBA, to put up 134 points and shoot 53.3 percent from the field. It was tied for the third-highest scoring output of the season for Los Angeles.
Kawhi Leonard looked great with 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting, seven rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes.
After the game, Draymond Green joined the collective NBA Twitter in criticizing how the Warriors played on defense.
Kendra Andrews @kendra__andrewsDraymond Green: "It's now or never. We're 500 at the break. Middle of the pack team with middle of the pack stats. You've got to come out the break and win and do it at a high level or you go home...I wouldn't be happy with that. But that will be the result if we don't get there"
arbacknine @aryh21Draymond scored 15 today without missing a shot and covered everyone's defensive mistakes Klay was largely fine <br><br>The team just kinda sucks and Joe built a roster that has had 6 dead spots all year that's literally the story of the season <br><br>Must be Steph not closing a few games!
Demechii Rosee @DemechiiRoseeThis is why having great defenders to cover up your weaker defenders is crucial. You have to have rim protection, great wing defenders, etc. Draymond still anchors the defense, but he cannot carry that load like he used to anymore. The guys on the perimeter are getting exploited.… <a href="https://t.co/RJQIXHd8US">https://t.co/RJQIXHd8US</a>
Mark Medina @MarkG_MedinaDraymond Green on role in Warriors' defense: "I'm always going to try on that side, but I can be better. I'm just as much of a culprit as anybody else. I'm not going to point the finger at anyone or point blame. If you're a leader at something and failing at it, it's your fault."
The Warriors are in a precarious position with 24 games remaining in the regular season. They have basically been a .500 team all year with a roster of stars who are getting older.
Stephen Curry is still great when he plays, but he's going to turn 35 on March 14 and has already missed 20 games this season. The two-time NBA MVP told reporters Monday there's no timetable for him to return from a knee injury.
"Ligaments can heal in all different types of timelines," Curry said. "So there's a window for each checkpoint. After the All-Star break, I will hopefully get back on the court, and then depending on how things go from there, we can key in on a specific date to get back."
The Warriors brought back Gary Payton II at the trade deadline in a deal that almost fell through because he failed his physical. General manager Bob Myers announced Monday the 30-year-old will be reevaluated in one month because of an abdominal injury, but the hope is to have him ready for the playoffs.
Andrew Wiggins sat out for rest against the Clippers. His absence certainly had an impact on their defense. Klay Thompson did play Tuesday, marking the first time he's played both games of a back-to-back since April 2019.
Golden State is clinging to the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference. The Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder are all within one game of passing the Warriors in the standings.
They will have eight days off before starting the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 23.