Numerous reasons for Draymond to step up in Game 5 of Finals

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OAKLAND -- Klay Thompson has had his moments in these NBA Finals, Stephen Curry has had his games and Kevin Durant has had a generally wonderful series.

So as the Warriors approach Game 5 against the Cavaliers on Monday night, there are numerous reasons to rest your eyes upon the team’s fourth All-Star, Draymond Green.

If Green reaches a level rarely seen during these Finals -- and a level he surely is capable of reaching -- it will be exceedingly difficult for the Cavs to keep the Warriors from closing out the series.

Thus far, though, the heartbeat of the Warriors has not been the player we’ve become accustomed to seeing over the past seven-plus months.

“Cleveland is doing some things to try to take away his strengths,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr conceded two hours before tipoff at Oracle Arena.

Green through four Finals games has been hampered by foul trouble, by emotional outbursts, by uncharacteristically poor decisions and by 35.6-percent shooting, including 25 percent beyond the arc.

After leading the team in assists in the regular season and also entering The Finals, Green has fallen to third in that category.

“They know he's a playmaker,” Kerr said. “They're not letting him get to his spots in the pocket to make plays in the paint, and he likes to do that. They're trying to make him be more of a jump shooter. And that's OK. That's all part of it. It's hard. The Finals are hard.”

Insofar as Green blames himself for the team’s epic collapse in the 2016 Finals, there is some sentiment that maybe he is trying to do too much. He missed Game 5 last June due to suspension, and the Warriors lost it at home.

They never recovered, despite Green playing at an incredible level in Game 7.

Asked if maybe Green has been forcing it, Kerr acknowledged he is.

“A little bit, early especially,” he said. “In transition, he had a couple plays where he left his feet and turned it over first couple games.

“But he's fine. He gets it. Especially this time of year, whatever it takes, and it's our job as a staff to help each guy figure out where they can make an impact. So we have some ideas for him to try to continue to make an impact.

“The biggest thing, though, is just being himself, defend like crazy, and be that defensive menace that makes him who he is.”

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