Draymond Green is THE floor general for the Golden State Warriors. He’s been a part of several historic feats throughout his career. One came when the Warriors surpassed the ?95 Bulls? by going 73-9 in the 2015-16 season. However, they remember that year differently. LeBron James and the Cavs put a dent in the Warriors? perfect season by storming back from a 3-1 deficit to win their first title. It proved to be a legacy-defining moment for the King and the aftermath of the historic series paved the way for more championships for Golden State. Green, however, believes that the series would have solidified his status as an all-time great had the Warriors won. But how?
The 2016 Finals were undoubtedly filled with fiery moments and pivotal junctures that would be forever etched in the memories of fans and analysts alike.?Days after inking a 4-year deal worth $100 million to put all speculation to rest and remain in San Francisco, Draymond Green pondered on the extraordinary series. Like his personality, his take on the matter was intriguing and offered a fresh perspective on the basketball world.
Draymond Green picks himself over Stephen Curry
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There have been claims that Green was the Warriors’ best player during the 2016 Finals. Well, the numbers add up in his favor. Stephen Curry averaged around 30 points per game during the regular season but faced a dip in his production with 22 PPG in the Finals. In contrast, ‘DrayMagic’ maintained a balance of adding a consistent 16 by increasing his production by 2 PPG.
While this might not seem accolade-worthy, Draymond Green’s Game 7 stats might have seen him in with an MVP shout. Based on that, he had a bold take that could have potentially changed the entire outlook of his and LeBron’s career.
In a recent appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Draymond Green said, “If we win that game, I’m the Finals MVP. But did I really deserve it? Because we never should have been in a Game 7.” The 33-year-old wondered what effect a Finals MVP would have had on his career. “It’s like the greatest what-if in my life.”
Despite having such a thought, the four-time NBA champion has accepted the result and had valuable takeaways from it: “Yet it’s one of the biggest teachers in my life and I don’t regret it one bit.”
Until the iconic Kyrie Irving three, Curry scored 17, going 6-19 from the field. At the same time, Draymond Green took charge by adding a whopping 32 points on 11-15 shooting, along with 15 rebounds and 9 assists. While the numbers don?t take away from Steph?s abilities, they reflect Draymond?s side, which is majorly overlooked.
Even though Golden State fell short that year, the former Defensive Player of the Year had impressive stats to back up his claim. Such was his form in that series, that he even blamed himself for his side’s defeat.
Green revealed his biggest regret from the 2016 NBA Finals defeat
Draymond Green sat out of Game 5, where Cleveland kick-started their comeback. This was because he received a suspension for his actions in Game 4. In a 2017 chat with ESPN, Green said, “One of the most brutal things I?ve ever had to go through in my life. If I played, we win of course. So I do feel it?s my fault we lost. ? Absolutely my fault. But I don?t feel wrong for what I did at all.”?
Even though ‘DrayMagic’ returned for the next game, the Dubs could not stop their opponent’s momentum. Draymond Green and the Warriors rebounded and clinched the next two NBA titles, but some players from the 73-9 season were not a part of these triumphs. He touched on that in the conversation with Paul George as well.
“If anything I regret, there were some guys on that team that didn’t get the opportunity to win a championship because of my emotions. And if I have one regret about the situation, it’s that those guys who never got another chance to win. That burns me.”
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The Dubs have made significant moves to strengthen their roster and ‘DrayMagic’ could look to win his fifth NBA title. The fact that they were able to re-sign Green despite the heavy links to LeBron’s Lakers shows that he wants to finish his career in San Francisco. According to oddsmakers, the Lakers were the favorites to sign the 4x champion, and those rumors gained momentum after Green was spotted with LeBron in France. Nevertheless, Green is back with the Warriors and will be looking forward to lifting another Larry O’Brien trophy.
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What did you make of Draymond Green’s claims of the NBA Finals from seven years ago?
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