The Golden State Warriors unraveled in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, losing by a final score of 127-97. After a strong performance in Game 2, it was tough to ignore the poor performance of Draymond Green, who was in foul trouble for much of the night and was a nonfactor when he was actually on the floor.
Green did a good job of slowing down Anthony Davis in the Warriors Game 2 victory, but in Game 3, he found himself falling victim to the ref's quick whistle. The referees in this series haven't been shy when it comes to calling fouls, with Green frequently finding himself in foul trouble. However, Green didn't sound too concerned about his fouling, and adamantly refused to change his play style because of the way the games have been called so far.
"I won't adapt. I'm going to keep playing the same defense I've played for 11 years."
Draymond Green on his defensive philosphy given the calls that have been made in the Lakers-Warriors series.
(via @NBCSWarriors)pic.twitter.com/rxMbcn6DwW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 7, 2023




For Warriors fans, this is pretty much standard operating procedure when it comes to the Draymond Green experience. One game, he looks completely capable of being the player who can win Golden State a series, only to follow that up by playing himself off the court in the next game. With Green unable to stay on the floor in Game 3, the Warriors defense suffered, and it resulted in a brutal loss.
Despite the notable refereeing in this series, Green makes it very clear here that he isn't going to change how he plays basketball. While this may be upsetting to some fans, it's worth a reminder again that this is all part of who Green is as a player. It may seem annoying now, but there's a decent chance Green and the Warriors will be able to put together a bounce back performance in Game 4.