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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WARRIORS VS SPURS

May 22, 2017

Draymond Green

Oakland, California - Postgame

Warriors - 129, Spurs - 115

Q. Draymond, could you compare the last couple of West Finals celebrations you've had, and how much more subdued is this one?
DRAYMOND GREEN: First off, I want to start off by, number one, just sending condolences and well wishes to those in Manchester affected by that act of terrorism, which, you know, is rough. I can't say that I've been through it or know how they feel, but I know how it feels to lose loved ones, and it's never a great thing. So just send our condolences to them.

And also want to congratulate the Spurs on a great season. Obviously, not ending the way they want, but stand-up organization. Always one of the teams right there at the end. You know, obviously this isn't the end of them. Getting Kawhi back healthy, coming back next year, I know they'll come back strong. So I want to congratulate them on a great season as well.

Q. Just how much more subdued is this celebration than the last couple West Finals?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Well, obviously it's something you're going to appreciate. You try not to take it for granted because it just doesn't happen every year where you're headed to the NBA Finals. So you appreciate it, but you can definitely sense a little different type of feeling where it's great and everybody's excited about it, but you just see a difference and it's still kind of business as usual, we're not finished type of attitude yet, which is great. You definitely want to have that, and knowing that we need four more wins to accomplish our main goal.

Q. As a competitor, beating the Spurs when they faced so many injuries, does it have kind of a spoiled taste?
DRAYMOND GREEN: No, you have to beat who is out on the floor. Obviously, as a competitor, you want to play a team at full strength. That's just the nature of it. But at the end of the day, we know we also play a sport where injuries happen. We've been affected by some injuries before, and we know the feeling. But at the same time, regardless of who is out on the floor, you've still got to go out there and win. We didn't just go play sisters of the poor, we played the San Antonio Spurs. This is a team that can still win no matter who they put on the floor.

You know each and every time you step on the floor with these guys, no matter who they have out there, they can still win. So, obviously it sucks that Kawhi wasn't there and Tony wasn't there, and David wasn't out there. But at the end of the day, a win is a win and you have to beat whoever is out there against you.

Q. Do you think, piggybacking on that last question, you guys can move on from that sort of dirty-talk chatter that's been going on in the media that's been blown up since Game 1?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I forgot it was going on. We've been moved on from that a long time ago. We just play basketball.

Q. In your 12 wins, is there one area you feel like you all have improved the most?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I think our defensive intensity has been amazing. I think we can still improve on the attention to detail on that side of the ball. That can help lead us to a championship, and it will be important in order to try to win a championship. Overall, I think we've done a great job locking in on the defensive side, scrambling around, trying to take away teams' number one option. That doesn't necessarily mean the player. Just trying to make them go to a second or third option in the set and also trying to cover that. I think we've been doing a great job of that.

Q. How do you feel for Kevin in this moment, and how joyous is he? You've had a few Finals, but I think this is his first in five years?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Yeah, obviously happy for him to be sharing this moment with him after all he's gone through with joining the squad and leaving OKC. To be headed to the NBA Finals is a great way to combat all that talk. To win it would be even better. He doesn't seem like he's overjoyed or anything like that. Excited to be headed to The Finals, but at the same time, he knows. He didn't make the decision he made to go to The Finals. He made the decision he made, number one, for his own life and where he was at in his life and what he wanted to do, but also to win a championship. To go win. Not just go to The Finals. No one remembers second place. No one cares who lost in The Finals. It's about winning.

So we're there. That's the first step. Now it's about winning, and you could tell he has that mindset.

Q. You guys have been pretty close to unbeatable since you came through San Antonio near the end of the regular season. What, in particular, has clicked for you guys? That was the game where there was so much attention on who didn't play. Did that game in particular Spur this team forward?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I mean, I think obviously anytime you can play against a great organization, great team like the Spurs, you win, it's a confidence booster. No matter who you are, you gain confidence. I think that was a good game for us, especially. I think we went down big, if I'm not mistaken. We came back and won pretty convincingly. That was a big game for us. I can't necessarily say like, oh, that game is the reason we're playing the way we're playing today. I think just at a point in the season where you want to be playing your best basketball, and the entire season you're aiming to get towards that. You're working to get to that level the entire season. So I think we've done that. I think we're clicking at the right time. I also think we're still getting better. I don't think we've reached our ceiling yet.

Q. Is there one or two things you can point to that have really gone in that positive direction at the end of the regular season and now through the Playoffs?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I think our defense has really stepped up a lot. We picked that up quite a bit. Everybody's locked in on that side of the basketball. You know, I say a perfect example is Klay. He hasn't found his shot pretty much throughout the Playoffs, yet he's been just as locked in, if not more locked in, as anybody on that side of the basketball, and that's a huge step for us.

Also, I think our offensive flow. You know, we're not singling anyone else saying, hey, man, we need to get this guy the ball. We just need to do everything in the flow of the offense. Guys who need to get shots, get shots. I think our offense is rolling. We're very powerful when we're playing that way.

Q. First team in history to go 12-0 to start the Playoffs. Are you shocked you were able to go sweep, sweep, sweep through the West?
DRAYMOND GREEN: You never come into the Playoffs expecting like, oh, man, we're going to sweep every series. It's a great thing. But at the end of the day, had we went 4-3, 4-3, 4-3, we'd still be in the same position. So it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean too much. It means we got a little more rest. We played a few less games. But it's not like you get some trophy or something for being undefeated throughout the first three rounds of the Playoffs. Like I said before, it's about winning the championship, and we're four games away from that.

Now, if that's 4-0, great? If it's 4-3, great. It doesn't matter how you get those four wins as long as you get them, and that's our goal.

Q. Draymond, Steph got an and one late in the game and stopped just before he shot his free throw to allow Manu to have his moment. What are your impressions of what he's done in his career, and how much gas do you think he's got left in the tank?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I think when you look at the gesture by Steph, that was great. That's much respect. For Manu and his entire organization, he definitely deserved that moment, all he's done for the game of basketball.

He kind of worked us pretty good these four games, so I think he he's got quite a bit left in the tank. Obviously, it's up to him how much longer he wants to go. But one thing about it, he's definitely not a liability on the floor. He can still defend. He can still score buckets with the best of them. So I think it's pretty much up to him and how he's feeling personally. But he don't -- obviously, he's slowed down a step of where he was seven years ago, but we all go through that at some point or another. Yet everyone can't come out in year 15 and -- I'm pretty sure he probably averaged close to 17, 18 points a game in this series. Obviously, not the turnout, but they're also down some of their guys as well. Does he play that same way when their guys are out there? Probably so, because he does the same thing for them at all times. It could help be a different outcome, the way he was playing.

So definitely much respect to Manu and their organization. But everything that he's done in his career. First ballot Hall of Famer, for sure. Hopefully we'll see more of him. I enjoy watching him play. Still one of the toughest guys. Anytime someone asks me like: Who is the toughest guys you ever guard in the league? He's one of the ones, always, in my answer.

So definitely want to see him get some more. He's enjoyable to watch. But at the end of the day, we all know it comes to an end someday, but it's always great to have that option.

Everybody don't go out on their own terms. He'll have that opportunity, and that's great.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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