Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has a lofty goal for this year: winning his second NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. Green is considered one of the best defenders in the NBA, with his ability to guard 1-5 and anchor the Warriors' defense important to the team's success. But, he's only won the Defensive Player of the Year trophy once in 2017. What can he do to secure it seven years later?
For Green, it's all about focus. And, according to recent comments on his podcast The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis, he says he's “locked in”.
I’m locked in on it, bro. That’s my goal, you know, just going through this offseason and then seeing my name not on an all-defensive team last year. That pissed me off. I know I wasn’t eligible because of the games I missed, but it still pissed me off. I want to keep building on what I hope ultimately becomes a Hall of Fame career. The more accolades, the better.”
He continued, “I’ve heard all the talk about Chet and Wemby on defense. I’m not taking anything away from those guys, they’re special, but I know I can affect a defense differently. I’m not seven feet, so I have to use positioning and my brain to be great. This year, that’s one of my goals: to get back in the Defensive Player of the Year race, get back on All-Defense First Team, and just keep running that up.”
A testament to Green's focus on defense is how he guarded Pelicans star Zion Williamson in the team's second of two back-to-back games against New Orleans on October 30th. Willamson was uncharacteristically inefficient, finishing the game with 12 points on only 5-20 shooting and four turnovers. Meanwhile, Green made his defensive presence felt with five blocks and one steal.
Green spoke about his defensive matchup with Williamson and talked about what made the difference.
“Just really taking on his force,” Green said of what made the difference guarding Williamson. “I was telling him last night, man, he's gotten so much better. The way he's moving, he's finishing a lot better. He missed some chippies tonight, but it's also a team effort, you need a lot of guys shrinking. But I wanted to bounce back. Last night I told him, like, he got the best of me. Last night he gave me hell. So I just wanted to bounce back and have a good defensive performance tonight.”
If the Warriors look to stay competitive in the Western Conference race, Green must continue to affect the game through his defensive intensity. The Warriors currently sit at 3-1 to start the season and, if Golden State nets a top-six seed in the Western Conference, it would be hard to argue against Green's Defensive Player of the Year case.
The Warriors play the Rockets on November 2nd at 8 PM EST.
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