Green wasted no time making life easier for Curry in Monday night's win over the Wizards
SAN FRANCISCO - The best gift Stephen Curry received on his 34th birthday wasn't diamond-studded jewelry, state-of-the-art electronics, or designer clothing. It was something he had been waiting patiently for almost three years to achieve.
In Monday night's 126-112 win over the Washington Wizards, the Golden State Warriors' corps of Curry, Drummond Greene, and Klay Thompson played an NBA game together for the first time in 1,005 days.
"It's very special to play again with those guys," said Green, who was active for the first time since January 5 with back and calf injuries. "Even when the three of us aren't out there, there's a void. It's still empty. At least I know that's what I've felt for the past two and a half years."
Greene wasted no time making his impact felt. He was on the court for just 11 seconds before Curry was fed for his famous split-action wing 3-pointer off. Green said the play was called off as soon as Curry entered the game.
Both the players nodded their heads with a smile and jogged back to the rescue. This wasn't the first time Green and Curry had been linked for a triple. It certainly won't be the last.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game, "The chessboard changes with Stef to Draymond. Everything looks and feels a little different, and it's harder for our opponent to navigate defensively." "And I haven't even mentioned his defense yet. Drummond changes everything for us."
Green's return could not have come at a better time for the Warriors, as they extended their winning streak to four games to secure the No. 2 seed to reach the playoffs in the Western Conference. Golden State fans noticed the way the team struggled without Greene for a long time, so they were more gracious when they took the field for the first time on Monday night after a 31-game absence.
Curry was kind too, going for 47 points—the highest he's scored since dropping 50 points in early November—on 16-for-25 shooting, which included 7-of-14 from 3-point range. Is. He was pulling up deeply. He was laughing. He was blushing. And a lot of it was thanks to Greene, who found his longtime partner early and often.
Green said of playing with Curry, "I miss it so much. When I'm not there and watching, I see things that can help him." "He's the greatest shooter we've ever seen, but you still have to screen, and you still have to find him in good spots and make sure he's shot and looks easy, as opposed to looking tough all the time. "
Green finished with six points, seven rebounds, six assists and was a game-high plus-24 in 20 minutes. An almost flawless comeback, followed by his trademark confidence.
"Whether we're a No. 2 seed or a No. 3 seed, we're going to win a championship," Green told NBC Sports Bay Area after the game. "Never mind. I called it months ago."
There really didn't appear to be any ill effects during Green's 20 minutes on Monday, as he seemed fresh, energetic and playful. Passing, which he said is "like riding a bike," was phenomenal, and his ability to read rescue and direct traffic was on point. Watch here as he begins to drive Thompson toward the basket before threading the needle with a bounce pass for a transition layup.
But more than any skill that Greene brings to either end, it's the energy, swagger and confidence he generates that makes this Warriors team click.
"It's a clincher of how you influence the game, even if you're not taking shots," Curry said of Green after the game. "You can see how contagious the energy is."
With Monday's win, the Warriors improve to 29-6 when Green plays this season, so his impact is clear. He was the league's top defense at the time when he went down with an injury, and Golden State hopes to get back to that level when playoff time comes. Mix that with a gelding backcourt trio of Curry, Thompson and Jordan Poole with a fully loaded offense, and Green's championship guarantee suddenly doesn't seem far-fetched.
"I'm too much of a competitor to sit here and doubt our team or have any other team trust us," Thompson said after Monday's game. "No chance."