Draymond, Steph highlights Myers’ unmatched worth after the win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Furious. Furious. Furious. Smoking.
Choose a word, any word. Draymond Green was much of that Tuesday night at the Chase Center. Even on a night where he found himself in two separate scuffles with the New Orleans Pelicans, perhaps nothing annoyed Green more than Steve Kerr’s failure to challenge an indictment against him , with 4:48 in the game and the Warriors by seven points.
The call gave Green five fouls that night, meaning he would be out for the game with one more. The Savior was someone Green respected as much as anyone else in the building, and someone who didn’t go to the Warriors’ sidelines too often.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers went to the bench and made sure he had Green’s attention. As the GM began to speak, Green shook his head from side to side. Within seconds Green agreed, now nodding up and down. He patted Myers open, zipped up his warm-up jacket, and made his way into the Warriors scrum—now clapping in encouragement.
“It was huge,” Green said of the Myers message. “He came down and said, ‘Listen. Alright, you’ve proved your point and maybe you were right, but if you keep it up, the boys will follow you. Now if you turn around and get in huddle, boys will follow.’
“I’m back in the scrum and I challenged our guys and extended the lead even further. You can’t always see Bob’s work other than putting the team together. But he’s so important to everything we do. I can’t imagine that — and I know I’m looking at this league. GMs aren’t keeping the team informed of how Bob is overseeing this team. Maybe two other GMs in the league would be on the bench right there come and say “something, and that’s also someone I have the utmost respect for.
“If Bob comes and tells me something, it’s the Bible to me. I’ll listen to this. But that’s a relationship that’s been built over the past 11 years, and that’s a relationship that will continue to grow for the next 40 years. For him to come down and say something to me in that moment, you have to honor that and it was huge.
The story goes on
Less than a minute later, Green was back in the game without giving a foul and just under four minutes on rule. Over the next nearly three minutes, the Warriors beat the Pelicans 10-2 before dragging their starters with a minute remaining to their 120-109 comeback win.
Myers could have done what most GMs do and kept his distance. He knows what makes Green tick and what drives him. His voice was in demand at that moment, more than any coach or teammate.
How many other front offices have such weight and influence? The total can be counted on one hand. Honestly, the answer could be a grand total of zero.
What emerged was why Green, Steve Kerr and Steph Curry were on the record arguing for the importance of Myers — both with what he meant to the dynasty and what he will mean it to one Handful of future to extend Hall of Fame.
“It’s just another example of that,” Curry said. “Whether it’s in front of 19,000 and on the bench or it’s a call, text, conversation, whatever it is, there’s a lot of confidence in his perspective. You don’t see him coming down that often.
“So it’s not like it’s something that happens a lot. It’s just timely, and that’s something Draymond responds to because he trusts his point of view. I don’t know what he was saying at that moment, but it’s a long road, whether it’s in the dressing room, in training, off the pitch, off the arena – whatever it is, we react to what he says.”
For the night, Green was a game-high plus-26 in plus-minus over 33 minutes in the Warriors’ 11-point win. He had eight points on 4-of-5 shooting with 13 assists, six rebounds and two steals. His late turnover Sunday night in the Warriors’ ugly 99-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves played a major role in one of Golden State’s most frustrating meltdowns of the season.
Draymond took it upon himself to bring the fire and be the energy of the Warriors on Tuesday night, especially after such a disappointing loss two nights earlier. The Warriors were slow coming out of the gates and needed a spark. The 33-year-old has been the match and flame for the defending champion, who struggles every day to avoid the play-in tournament and improve his playoff standings.
Trailing 17 points at halftime, the Warriors beat the Pelicans 74-46 in the second half, a 28-point lead. Green played 17 minutes in the second half and attempted a shot. Adding to Green’s unique gravity, he was up 26 in the last two quarters with two points, nine assists, three rebounds and countless examples of bringing the Warriors to life.
“Draymond gave us the win tonight,” Kerr said. “His intensity, his early frustration with the way we were playing, angry at the world for yelling at everyone – their bench, our bench, me – and honestly we all deserved it. That first half was as bad as we were “I’ve played all year. We weren’t engaged and that’s what makes Draymond so special.”
“It’s not just the amazing basketball IQ, defense and play, it’s just his will. And he was the key tonight.”
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His sheer will behind his intensity and frustration was the glue that held Green and the warriors together. Myers is to be thanked for that. All without a contract that extends beyond this season.
No matter how far the Warriors go this season, Green has a $27.5 million player option on his contract for next season. Myers has nothing. He and owner Joe Lacob appear to be at odds over Myers’ current contract, which expires after this season. Draymond can test the waters or sign on the dotted line for at least another year.
Myers took a flyer about a decorated college star who was considered a tweener in his first NBA draft as the Warriors’ GM, then took it as a knock instead of a plus, with the fifth pick of the second round. The rest is history, and everything he and the Warriors have built could be history if Myers’ future with the franchise isn’t figured out in a hurry.
Tuesday’s savage win, which saw the Warriors trail by as much as 20 points, could be a turning point of the season or just another win on a pitch they’ve dominated all season. Either way, it was a prime example of the unmatched impact Myers has on the Warriors.
The other Warriors decision makers better listen loud and clear to the meaning behind Steph and Draymond’s words. The weight of her words is immeasurable, and the basketball world is watching.
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