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NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND TWO: TRAIL BLAZERS vs WARRIORS

May 1, 2016

Draymond Green

Oakland, California: Game One

Trail Blazers - 106, Warriors - 118

Q. You're the emotional center of the team, but do you feel you've needed to ratchet up the intensity without Steph? Do you feel a responsibility?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Obviously I think everything has to be racheted up. I don't go out there saying, I've got to do this, I've got to do that more.

We all have to, and that's the entire team, more defense. Everybody got to be more involved on the offensive end. Steph brings so much to the table that one guy isn't going to do what he do. So we all have to step it up collectively and everybody's been doing that.

Q. We asked Steve a few minutes ago about whether the players said anything to each other about coming together to step up their game; he said nothing that he heard but he's pretty sure you would have said something anyway. What was said in the locker room about playing well at this point without Steph?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I just told the guys that we got to come out with a defensive mind-set and that's pretty much it. I think we can pretty much just stay solid and get good stuff on the offensive end, but against this team, we just got to come out with a defensive mind-set when Steph's not out there.

When Steph's out there, we can go toe-to-toe with anybody from offense and probably have the advantage, but when he's not out there, you've got to get it done on the defensive end, so if it's anything, just telling the guys, come out, don't worry about any offense.

We'll get what we need on the offensive end. Come without with a defensive mind-set and I think we did that tonight.

Q. (Off-mic)
DRAYMOND GREEN: That was really today. As the series changes, everything changes. I think the thing we were preaching against Houston was ball movement and cutting. Against this team, it's really just straight defensive-minded and like I said, offense will take care of itself.

Q. Speaking about defensive mind, you had the big block with Lillard pretty early, maybe said some things afterwards. What does a play like that do for a team?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I didn't say so much of nothing (laughter).

You know, it really sets the tempo of the game. You're not going to come in here and just get layups. You're not going to come in here and get anything easy. You just really try to bring that force, that force to the game that we need, and in saying that, he's not going to go at you for 26 every game and C.J. is not going to go 5-for-17.

So that being said, we have to continue to improve. I think we did a good job on the defensive end. Stotts is a great coach and they have some great players, so they are going to make adjustments. We need to be ready to make adjustments to their adjustments on Tuesday.

Q. Congratulations on the triple-double digits in this playoff. Were you counting on that or are you trying to step up and help the team win?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Thank you. And no, I don't, I didn't come out here and say I need to get a triple-double. I came out saying I need to do whatever it takes to help our team get a win and tonight that was a little bit of everything.

I've tried going for a triple-double before and didn't quite work out. If it happens, then oh, well, it happens. If not, who cares. That's not going to win us the game, me getting a triple-double. What wins us the game is what, we played 13 guys tonight, what all 13 guys stepped on the floor and did tonight, everybody brought energy, from Anderson Varejao who has not played very much lately, coming in and giving us a huge lift off the bench.

So it was very important that everybody step up and that's what win us the game, not a triple double.

Q. Tonight was your third Portland Trail Blazers in five meeting this year. Is that coincidental or a vulnerability you're exposing?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I think it's just a coincidence. Guys are really cutting and I found the open man. I don't think it's necessarily something that I found, they are vulnerable here. It's been different guys matched up on me each game, anyway. I think it's really just coincidental.

Q. You talk about defense, but on the offensive end, do you try to be extra-aggressive without Steph or you just let the game come to you?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I don't think I was really any more aggressive than I've been. I think when I got the ball in the post, I kind of took advantage of that a little bit more today but other than that, I just let the game come to me. I think the first seven, eight minutes of the game, I took one shot.

So I don't come out saying, oh, I need to be way more aggressive. The aggressiveness comes with the ball movement. When the ball is flying around like it was today, I get the ball in good positions and I'll be a little more aggressive then.

Q. Bogut and Klay, right before you came up, Bogut called you the best all-around player in the league and Klay nodded. Is that something you believe yourself and you're comfortable with it?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I'm comfortable with it (laughter). I've never been one that's not too comfortable with much, but no, I think there's a lot of great all-around players in the game. You'll never hear me call myself that, but they are going to call me that, I'll take it. I'm not going to shy away from it.

Q. In Game 3 in Houston, you had the turnovers and Klay was 0-for-7 from three. Since then it's a total flip. What's happened, is it mental or physical? What are the changes you've made to get to where you want to be to where you are right now?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Well, you know, I think that's mental and physical. Mentally I'm just making the simple play. Still had a couple turnovers tonight that I shouldn't have had, just making the simple play. Coming down, if it's not there, just move the ball on. Not trying to make something, too much happen, that we don't have to do.

With Klay, I think he's just settled in. Guys are finding him in good positions but he's been just flying around. If you watch Klay, he's everywhere. He's all over the place. He's back-cutting, he's flying off screens. When he's flying around like that, he gets open shots and it allows me to put the ball in a better place and not force it. I think it all works hand and hand, but he's been flying around and I've just been trying to make the simple play. If it's not there, just move the ball along.

Q. We saw the little scuffle between Anderson and Henderson. Was there much of that going on today going on and do you expect that to carry over?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I didn't see what happened. I just turned around and saw them going at it, so I'm not sure what happened. I don't really care what happened. I don't think they really care what happened. I don't think this is something that will carry over into the next game. I know Andy is a very classy guy and from I know about Drew, I think he's a very classy guy.

Sometimes things take place on the court that you just lose control of, but I know both of those guys will come ready to play in Game 2.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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