NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 8, 2022

Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors

Game 3: Postgame

Boston Celtics 116, Golden State Warriors 100

Q. What was your reaction to the crowd's chants that were directed to you throughout the game?

DRAYMOND GREEN: No, they just talking. Not really my job to react to them. They did what I expected.

Q. How do you feel you played?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Like [expletive].

Q. What was the difference this game?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I just think I never found a rhythm, really on both ends of the floor. Not enough force. But just got to find a rhythm quicker.

Q. They had 15 offensive rebounds. You guys protected the glass really well pretty much all playoffs. What do you think was the issue on the glass?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Yeah, I think that's just a force thing. Then once you get comfortable, you establish that presence, then the ball just kind of finds you. You start to get the bounces and the break.

Just got to start the game off better.

Q. I'm not saying it's why you struggled tonight by any means, but I've found listening to your Podcast recaps the last couple games pretty interesting. Are you conscious at all of what you're saying about the X's and O's of the game plans, the adjustments, could be making their way back to Boston staffers and influencing their decision-making at all?

DRAYMOND GREEN: No. I don't see much difference on the Podcast than I say to you right here, so nah. What's the X's and O's that I said on the Podcast?

Q. Only real thing I noticed that stood out, you talked about how to cover White, Smart and Horford differently between Games 1 and 2.

DRAYMOND GREEN: Oh, yeah, that's just contesting shots. If that's X's and O's, you're reaching for something. It's all good, though, keep going. [Laughing].

The only thing, you find that they are taking X's and O's away from your Podcast? Well, the only thing you said is White, Smart and Horford. Hmm.

Q. I'm not trying to --

DRAYMOND GREEN: You went for it. Appreciate the Podcast promo you just gave me, though. The Draymond Green Show. Next time just mention it that way.

Q. What most disappointed you about the way you guys played tonight?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I was soft. That's what was most disappointing to me, for us.

Monty, how much X's and O's you get from the Podcast? Maybe that's the IQ level. I'm sorry, you got something else? I didn't mean to cut you off.

Q. What was disappointing about how your team played other than the third quarter?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I thought we let them get to too many of their strengths. You know, we like to play by the term "making them play left-handed," and I don't think we did that tonight.

So Jake Fisher, just an FYI, that's a reference to something, making somebody play left-handed. That's not really like X's and O's, like literally make them drive theft. But we like to make teams play left-handed. And we didn't do that tonight, and that starts with me.

And when you allow a team to get comfortable, especially in their home -- in front the home crowd, then it's tough. We battled back and we took the lead for a minute. And if you go on a run, it's a different story. We'll be better. I'll be better. Come out, win Game 4. Go back 2-2.

Q. You know you have to play better, but heading into Game 4, what are some adjustments you have to make personally?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I think it's just my approach to the game. If I approach the game differently, there's no big X's and O's adjustment in the NBA Finals. You know what they do. They know what you do. They played with more force in the game tonight, and we have to come out and do that on Friday.

Q. I guess maybe it's not about X's and O's, but what went wrong when it came to the rebounding battle and allowing their points in the paint?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Well, I think when you're putting constant pressure on the rim, then the rebound patterns are messed up, you're rotating, you're coming in.

So goes back to our point of attack defense and you know, that starts with me. If we control the point of attack, it puts you in a better position overall on the court. And so then like I said, you allow them to get a few, then you just start to get the bounces and things starting to go your way.

I think it's not just rebound-specific. It's our defense as a whole, and when your defense as a whole is good, you know, then it makes it a lot easier to rebound.

Q. Do you kind of embrace the opposing crowd looking at you at the villain? Do you feed off it in a way, or does it take attention off your teammates? Is that something that fuels you and can be something that you use?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Yeah, definitely. I embrace it. I enjoy it. I didn't really feed off of it tonight. I don't think I fed off much tonight.

But yeah, that's -- that's something that I enjoy. Waste a lot of energy talking to me, so it's great. It's great. Looking forward to Friday.

Q. What worked in the third quarter that you guys couldn't sustain before and after, and what was the exchange that you had with Courtney Kirkland after you fouled out where you guys were -- I don't know if it was a staring contest?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I just asked him, he called a foul for me diving on the floor. He said I dove on somebody. Stephen got his legs dove on. I just asked, is that not the same thing? He told me it wasn't the same thing. So, yeah, that was that.

Q. After the third, that you guys couldn't sustain?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I thought we got them moving. We got them scattered. Defensively we were swarming. We were all over the place, and we took away what they were trying to do. Why we didn't sustain it, I don't know I have to go back and watch the film and see where we let go of the rope at. I'm sure there are some things we'll look back at and take away from it and make sure we bring it to Friday's game.

Q. What did you see on the pile-up with Steph, and are you worried about him being injured?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Yeah, you always worry, but yeah, I saw him getting dove on and that was about that. So I picked up my foul pushing off him because he's screaming at the bottom of the pile. Yeah, it is what it is. I'll take the foul. I'm going to get him off his legs, though. It's all good.