ESPN/ABC color commentator Mark Jackson sung high praise to his former player Draymond Green, who put up a gem of a Game 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday afternoon.
His emphatic block against a fearless Damian Lillard was one of two highlight reel plays at the defensive end that encouraged the longtime game-caller to crown him the Defensive Player of the Year.
NOT TODAY 🖐🖐🖐 pic.twitter.com/juDMHJaIVS
— GoldenStateWarriors (@warriors) April 16, 2017
Mark Jackson: "Draymond Green: your Defensive Player of the Year."
He's not wrong.
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) April 16, 2017
Green posted a well-rounded line of 19 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, five blocks, and three steals through 37 minutes of playing time.
Earlier in the game, Green also stopped a two-on-one Blazers fast break in vicious fashion, showing just how versatile he can be at the defensive side of the ball.
The 6-foot-7 forward is in a close race with Utah‘s Rudy Gobert and San Antonio‘s Kawhi Leonard for the award. He's finished second to Leonard the past two seasons.
Green led the league in steals with 2.06 per game and averaged 1.4 steals per game through 76 games this season.
Portland got off to an incendiary start behind their back court of C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard, but Golden State was able to weather the storm and separate themselves in the fourth quarter, coming out with a 121-109 win.
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