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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WARRIORS vs ROCKETS

May 23, 2018

Draymond Green

Houston, Texas: Practice Day

Q. Did you know you were going the full second half, all 24 minutes going into the second half?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I knew going into the fourth quarter I was (laughing), not going into the second half.

Q. Does that affect you? I mean, did you feel the effects in the last six minutes?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Oh, no. You know, playing 24 minutes straight is tough, but it's that time of year where it doesn't matter, rotations go out the window. You adjust to what the game throws at you. So it is what it is. It's what you prepare for.

Q. Why do you think the ball stuck so much in the second half?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I think we kind of let their switching just allow us to stop. For a while there we were just hitting shots, so it really didn't matter if we stopped. It's kind of deceiving when you're making shots the way we were for that run. You don't think, oh, man, let's get the ball moving, get the ball moving. Then all of a sudden you stop making shots and the movement isn't there, then you go try to find it, and the rhythm is just off.

So it's just something that we've got to do a better job of. I know that we will, but it's got to be a focus.

Q. What is your sense of the mood among the guys in the last 24 hours?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Kind of pissed off. You know, we know we let one slip away. So definitely guys are pissed off. But encouraged as well. Like I love the way this team responds when our back is against the wall. I don't mind our backs being against the wall because I know what we're capable of, and I know the level of focus and intensity level that this team brings when that is the case. You know, it is what it is.

I think we blew a golden opportunity, but it's not one that we can't get back. We know we can go get it back, so there's no panic.

Q. What was your reaction to being [NBA] All-Defensive Second Team?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Pissed. No, honestly, it's an honor to make All-Defensive teams, All-NBA Teams and different, All-Rookie teams. It's an honor. Such a great league with great talent. A lot of guys are good on the defensive end, so to be 1 of 10 guys named to All-Defensive team is great. But it's also motivation for me to make First Team and go win Defensive Player of the Year again next year, so that's what I'm going to do next year.

Q. Was there a name that stuck out that was omitted?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I mean, I think when you look at the teams, I think guys definitely could have been on there that weren't. I think Klay [Thompson] could have been on there and wasn't. I think K [Kevin Durant] could have been on there and wasn't. I think PG [Paul George] could have been on there and he wasn't. And I could be missing somebody, but those are just the three I know right off the top of my head that could have been or possibly should have been but wasn't on there. But I know it's a tough decision. Like I said, there are a lot of guys that can defend in this league.

Q. Do the rotations go out the window at this point? How much with Andre's injury does that further scramble and magnify the need for Kevon [Looney] and Jordan [Bell] and those guys to contribute tomorrow?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Andre's very important to what we do as a team, offensively and defensively. With him going down, it definitely changed things up a bit. Looking at it, I think Jordan played really well. I think Loon played really well. I don't think it was -- I saw something last night that kind of highlighted what guys shot when they were on the floor and primarily guarded by them or something. I think those guys played really well.

I don't think, you know -- they made a huge impact positively for us. I don't think they were the reason why. It's easy to look back and say, oh, man, those guys played more minutes and Andre didn't play, and they lost. No, we had other problems. Our defense wasn't the problem. We held them to 95 points and 39 percent shooting. We scored 92 points. The offense was the problem.

Those guys played really well for us. I'm sure both of them will see some minutes tomorrow night. Whether Andre plays or not plays, both those guys will see the court. They've both had positive impacts when they've played. I think it's on us to make sure our offense gets going and everything's flowing right and we continue to defend. Then we'll win if that's the case.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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