NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: WARRIORS VS GRIZZLIES

May 7, 2022

Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors

Game 3: Postgame

Golden State Warriors 142, Memphis Grizzlies 102

Q. Was it a matter of you getting in an offensive rhythm? Was that the difference in the game?

DRAYMOND GREEN: It was a matter of stop turning the ball over. We turned the ball over a lot, first half, 14 turnovers. Three turnovers in the second half. We've always believed that we're a very good shooting team but if you're not getting looks at the rim, doesn't matter.

And then getting good looks. I think tonight we found great shots. We didn't just getting for good shots. We found great shots and they went in.

Q. How much is Klay a barometer for your offense, when he's going, the team is going, because of the way he plays, right? If he is getting those catch-and-shoot shots instead of dribbling and hunting, isn't that a great sign? Isn't that what happened tonight?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Yeah, we all know what Klay is capable of. He's one of the greatest shooters to ever play this game. I think a lot of people tend to forget that. One of the guy who is revolutionized the game of basketball. That's what we expect from him, and you know, our words to Klay is always, let's find you great shots, and you know, you find Klay, great shots, he can knock them down, as we know.

Q. What did you think of Wiggins playing bully ball going coast-to-coast ripping the rebound?

DRAYMOND GREEN: That's what we've been asking Wiggs to do all year, for two years, or however long he's been here. Put your head down and get to the hole. It's very hard to stop him from getting to the basket and that was an incredible play, right before the half. But that's who he's been all playoff long.

You know, it's bigger than just dunks. The way he's been rebounding and the physicality that he's been playing with, and boxing out, I think sometimes we get caught up in rebound numbers but when you're a guy that box out, you don't always get the rebound. He's been doing an incredible job no matter who he gets matched up on or boxing out.

I saw four or five possessions myself where I'm on the other side and he's boxing out Tim Tillman and knocking the ball away. So we need him with that mindset. It's huge for us.

Q. You see Porter with a plus 30 tonight, and this isn't the first postseason game where he's been great in the plus/minus. Does that surprise you? He had not been scoring a ton of threes does. It make sense to you sometimes?

DRAYMOND GREEN: It does because all year he's been a guy that makes the right play. He knows where to be on the floor. He rebounds very well. He's very steady. He doesn't take much risk. He's just a very steady force for us.

So it's not surprising. You know, Otto once signed a max deal man in this league when it was hard to get max. Sometimes guys kept maxing out just because they supposed to. Otto signed a max contract when it was hard to get $100 million, and he's healthy. I think that's been a big part of it. Last three, four years, he's been hurt and he's healthy and he's hurt. And he's playing great basketball for us all year, not just tonight but he was very impressive tonight.

Q. Yesterday you were talking about the importance of Jaw is going to get his, but limit everybody else. How do you think guys did?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I think we did a pretty good job. We let Bane get loose a little bit tonight, 4-for-7 from three, but overall I think we did a pretty good job of stopping other guys. Like I said, you have to stop the guys that you can stop because it's very hard to stop Ja.

Q. Did you get an opportunity to see the play where Ja Morant appears to get hurt?

DRAYMOND GREEN: No. Didn't they bump knees?

Q. In a situation that it looks like Jordan is reaching in for the ball, and Taylor Jenkins in he is press conference said that he felt that Jordan yanked at his knee, and Ja Morant Tweeted then deleted that Jordan broke the code. Do you have a response to that?

DRAYMOND GREEN: No, I don't have a response to it. It looked to me like they bumped knees before he even reached. That's kind of what I thought I saw. But no, not going to sit here and go tit-for-tat. We've got a basketball game to try to win Monday.

Q. You guys were super turnover heavy early. What caused all the turnovers early and what settled you in?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I think early on we were probably getting too deep into the paint, trying to kick it out. We're dancing a little bit on our cuts and then just being careless with the basketball, and you know, once we cleaned that up, you know, turning the ball over and not getting shots is one issue. Trying to stop them in transition after a turnover is a totally different issue that's nearly impossible.

So not turning the ball over allows us to get our defense set, when you get your defense set, you come down with a balanced floor, you get great -- you can get transition opportunities. And so you know, they all go hand-in-hand.

But I think we finally, we're not driving too deep and trying to pass the ball. You kind of get into a space, see the first open guys just move it. I think we did a good job of that.

Q. Jordan was being attacked in Game 2, and even Ja had a nice highlight play on him. How do you think Jordan responded in Game 3 in the way he went on the attack?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I thought it was beautiful the way he was attacking offensively but even more so I thought it was incredible how he defended and competed on that side of the ball. Yesterday, I think it was, you know, I spoke about him having to defend. That's the expectation if you want to win a championship. Everyone has to defend. You have to give effort. Like I said, I'm not expecting him to come out and be Marcus Smart, that's not who he is.

But when you come out and give effort on that side of the ball, No. 1, your teammates can rally behind you, but even more so from an X and O standpoint, you put up some resistance, and guys can get there to help if you do need help, and I think he was -- I mean, we didn't need to help him much tonight. Brought him into action and he sat down and guard. That's what it takes.

Q. You guys are undefeated in the postseason in this building, and three of those wins have been by blowouts. Just wondering what you think about Chase as a playoff home now?

DRAYMOND GREEN: We got a long ways to go. Hopefully we'll get five more wins in this building and be done with it hopefully, or if we need more, we'll take more.

I think it's, you know, everyone is more comfortable at home, and that's just the reality of the game we play. The fans were go tonight. They brought energy. I think after the first few minutes of the game, we gave them energy to feed off of, and you know, it's been working for us. But got another game Monday, and it's going to be even tougher, much tougher than it was tonight.

Q. Clarke said some things about you after the game, No. 1; Taylor Jenkins said what he said about Jordan tonight. Does it feel like they are trying to paint a picture about you guys, maybe a narrative about how you guys are playing your style of play? Are you sensing that?

DRAYMOND GREEN: They are the most physical team, right? We've historically been viewed as a pretty soft jump-shooting team, right? S--- I mean, didn't just make that up. The scouting report has always been get physical with them. That's what it's been since I've been here, so paying the way. It is what it is.

Q. We always talk about the non-Steph minutes and how that measures, and usually if you do well, you win the game. Do you guys watch that and could you sense how well the non-Steph minutes went well tonight and why do you think that happened?

DRAYMOND GREEN: That's not something that we ever watch. Watch it as a coaching staff maybe, I'm not sure, but it's not something we watch as a team. I think when you look at the minutes that Steph isn't on the floor, you now have Jordan and Klay out there.

And you know, it's one thing when Jordan is a second-year player or first-year player or Klay is somewhere rehabbing and then you're trying to fight with Steph minutes, but then you those two guys out there or Wiggs and it's a totally different ballgame.

I thought that group played well tonight, and I played 26 minutes, in large part because they were playing so well. So it was great for us.