The 2019-20 season was a dramatic shift for the Warriors, going from the league's most dominant team in years to a squad that won just 15 games before the COVID-19 pandemic brought a premature end to the regular season. Draymond Green, while joining the "Old Man and the Three" podcast, explained why he had internal doubts during that tumultuous year that the Warriors' title window might be drawing to a close.
"Not that I felt my window was closed because I couldn't perform, per se, but I just felt the window was closed because I couldn't get myself going, like I couldn't get up for a game," Green told JJ Redick and Tommy Alter. "I could get up for a big game, that year my best game by far was Christmas Day. That's the stage, we're playing against Houston, all these guys on this team might not have a thing with Houston because y'all haven't been here, but I got a real thing with Houston. This is coming off five straight Finals runs, smacking Houston was to get to three of those Finals runs.
"We need to beat Houston. We suck, we got four wins right now, but we need to beat Houston. I was locked in for that game and we played great, and that was a huge moment for me. It was never a point to where I felt like my window was closing because of my skill or because of what I bring to the table. But if we're going to suck like this every year, my window is closed because I can't get up for these meaningless games."
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That pandemic-shortened campaign was the worst shooting season of Green's career since his rookie year, and he started and played in just 43 of the team's 65 games. On that Christmas Day in 2019, Green did put up 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Warriors beat the Houston Rockets 116-104 at Chase Center.
Green also joked on the show that Warriors coach Steve Kerr calls him the "worst meaningless basketball game player."
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Draymond has gotten comfortable with high-profile games over his Warriors tenure. Green has played in 124 playoff games as a Warrior, including 28 in the NBA Finals.
Golden State Warriors
After a few seasons without a playoff appearance, the Warriors look poised to make yet another run as they stand second in the Western Conference with a 36-13 record. Draymond remains out as he deals with a disc issue in his back, and there is no clear timetable for his return to the lineup.
Whenever he can once again return to the starting lineup, Draymond should have plenty of meaningful games in front of him for himself and his Warriors teammates.