Cleveland Cavaliers fans booed Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green during pregame introductions. This became all the motivation Green needed to turn in his best game of the season to lead the Warriors and Steve Kerr to a dominant 131-112 win on Saturday.
Green's standout performance came as no surprise to Kerr. The Warriors head coach said the brash forward embraces the villain role and uses the boos to get his game going, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Probably not a surprise Draymond Green’s best game of the season came in Cleveland. Steve Kerr: “When they booed him pregame, I saw him smiling. He loves to be the villain. Sometimes that’s what it takes to get him going.” pic.twitter.com/8fCj1U1JXB
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 2, 2020
Green dominated the game with his passing, dishing out 16 assists to go along with eight points and seven boards, a quintessential prime Draymond Green stat line.
This Cavaliers-Warriors match-up certainly didn't have the clamor is once used to. Both teams have the worst record in their respective conferences. But obviously, for Draymond Green and Cavs fans in attendance as well, this game still means something.
There's obviously a lot of history between these two franchises, especially in the last decade. Golden State and Cleveland faced off in four straight NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018.
The Warriors won the first go-round in 2015, when they and Draymond Green defeated a depleted Cavaliers lineup without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love for the Finals series. The following season, the Cavaliers got their revenge in a massive way by coming back from a 3-1 series deficit and taking the series in seven, ultimately spoiling the Warriors' historic 73-win season.
Over the next two Finals after splitting their first two meetings, Golden State, with their juggernaut lineup with Kevin Durant in the mix, handled the Cavaliers pretty easily.
As for Draymond Green, the Swiss Army knife forward is playing the role of veteran statesman for this young Warriors squad. In 36 games, the 29-year old is averaging 8.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, while shooting just 38.4 percent from the field.
Obviously, Draymond Green has no incentive to go all out with his play this season with the Warriors headed to the lottery. It makes sense for him to just coast along the entire year as he gets ready for a redemption campaign next season with Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry coming back healthy.
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