Warriors' Draymond Green Shed 23 Pounds Before Playoffs at Bob Myers' Urging

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green made getting into shape a top priority as the 2019 postseason approached, and that was something that general manager Bob Myers felt was in the best interest of the team. 

"Draymond, I'mma tell you something you may not want to hear," Green recently recalled Myers telling him heading into March, according to The Athletic's Marcus Thompson II. "If we're going to win a championship, you've got to get in shape."

Oddly enough, the three-time All-Star had already been planning on working on his physique.

"Yeah, I start this strenuous regimen on March 6," Green said he told Myers, per Thompson. "It'll take me like two weeks, maybe like 10 days, to really get to where I need to be."

That "strenuous regimen" included a nutritionist-planned diet, a chef preparing his meals and a strength and conditioning team helping him tone up.

"I knew I wasn't in good shape," Green elaborated to Thompson on Thursday. "But I also know if anybody knows how to get in shape and get in shape quick, I know how. I've been doing it all my life."

Green is listed as 6'7" and 230 pounds on Golden State's official website. According to Thompson, the big man has dropped 23 pounds over the course of the last six weeks—and that has led to strong results on the court.

He's averaged 8.2 points on 46.5 percent shooting while also grabbing 7.1 rebounds per game since March 6, raising his season average to 7.4 ppg. More importantly, as Thompson noted, Green held opponents to a 37.2 field-goal percentage over the final 17 regular-season games and has gotten even stingier during the playoffs, allowing just 36.6 percent through the first three games of the postseason.

Little did Green and Myers know at the time of their conversation that the forward would become an even more important part to the team's success come the postseason. With four-time All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins suffering a quad injury early in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers, Green's presence is as important as it has been all season.

By now, Green knows what kind of shape he needs to be in to help his team be the last one standing in June. This is his seventh trip to the postseason, and the Warriors have played in the last four NBA Finals, winning three titles during that span.

It hasn't been the smoothest of seasons for Green, but he's making sure he's in the best possible shape to try to finish the year on a high note.