The Golden State Warriors finally snapped a two-game slide with a come-from-behind 111-95 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, March 29, to remain in contention for the sixth seed in the stacked Western Conference.
But forward Draymond Green raised a level of concern about their poor start to games during a rough stretch since the Jimmy Butler trade.
“We definitely need to start better though,” Green told reporters after the game. “It’s kind of becoming a thing. So we need to fix it fast.”
Over their last three games, the Warriors have a minus-30 point differential in the first quarter.
They trailed by 12 points against the Pelicans in the opening quarter. It took a great second half to stage a comeback and hold off the injury-hit Pelicans, who played without Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum.
“I thought we stuck with [our game plan],” Green said. “We got off to a slow start and once we found our footing — kind of start finding the rhythm — and that second half, there’s really no stars to feel like us. So not great. You can get a lot better but I love the way [we played in] the second half. I love the way we close the game.”
Warriors’ Defense Tightened in Second Half
The Warriors held the Pelicans to just 13 points in the fourth quarter and outscored them by 15. Green fouled out with 3:15 left but not after he helped the Warriors establish a double-digit lead. They were in full control, ahead by 13, when he hit the early showers.
Green collected two steals and a block to go with his six points, six assists and five rebounds in just 25 minutes. He was a game-high plus-16 in the win.
“I like where our defense is,” Green said. “We did a pretty good job defending, holding them to 95 points. It’s huge but we got to make shots and we haven’t as of late but I’d rather it happen now. It’s a good time for it to happen than in a few weeks.”
The Warriors just made 13 of 55 3-pointers and shot 41.3% overall from the field.
Their last nine games will determine where the Warriors fall — in the playoffs or the play-in tournament.
The Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers are tied with an identical 42-31 record but the latter holds the tie-breaker. The Warriors have the 11th toughest remaining schedule while the Clippers have the 13th, according to Tankathon.
Draymond Green Favorite to Win Second DPOY
According to Polymarket, Green is now the odds-on favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year following the season-ending blood clot injury of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
Green’s DPOY odds have soared from 0.3% at the start of March to a league-leading 52.4%, leaping past Cleveland Cavaliers‘ All-Star big man Evan Mobley (43.4%).
After he held Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to 20 points on just 5-of-16 shooting, his worst shooting performance over the past two seasons, per ESPN, on March 20, Green made his case to win his second DPOY award.
“Obviously, if we keep winning and close this year out strong, most definitely,” Green told reporters. “I look around the league and don’t see many players impacting the game on the defensive end the way I do. I don’t see many players completely throwing off an entire team’s offense the way I do. One thousand percent.
“Especially with Wemby going down, seemed like he had it won. And now it is right there. So 1 million percent I have a case, and I will continue to build that case for these next 13 games. Tonight was a prime example of that.”
They have gone 2-2 since then.
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