Golden Gate Sports
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Draymond Green, fertilizer, and what they have in common

By David Passinsky

NEW ORLEANS, LA - MAY 06: E'Twaun Moore #55 of the New Orleans Pelicans loses the ball defended by Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffsat the Smoothie King Center on May 6, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - MAY 06: E'Twaun Moore #55 of the New Orleans Pelicans loses the ball defended by Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffsat the Smoothie King Center on May 6, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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Draymond Green is helping nourish the seeds the Golden State Warriors are planting for another title run — you might call him the worm poop of this team.

Draymond Green has always been important to this Golden State Warriors team. We’re seeing though, just how important he is in this year’s playoff run. Without him, it seems fair to say the championship garden the Warriors are planting might just wither and die.

Steve Kerr, the evil genius that he is, unleashed the equivalent of his death-ray upon what appeared to be a woefully outmatched Pelicans squad on Sunday.

The Pelicans were throttled in what might have been the Warriors’ most convincing win yet this season. Behind Green and his stifling defense, Kevin Durant went for 38 points, smartly avoiding the cursed number of 40.

This season in games in which Durant has scored over 40 points the Warriors are 0-5, a statistic that has become a bit of a running joke — but that is a conversation for another time.

Golden State’s ball movement, the smooth flowing offense, and beautiful shooting, is the result of arguably the best grouping of talent in the league along with some of the most unselfish players in the league.

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If the Warriors are an orchard, then the barrage of points they can put up is the fruit that orchard bears. Of course, as a result of being in the Bay Area this orchard is completely organic, vegan, pesticide free, cruelty free, and all the water is free range.

If that is even a thing (and knowing the Bay Area, it probably is) it is probably already on sale for seven dollars a bottle.

Enter Draymond Green.

Green is the fertilizer that makes all this grow — the Worm Castings if you will. Worm castings are what worms leave behind after they eat whatever it is they eat.

They are the fuel that’s necessary to make the trees to flourish and bear fruit.

They get no credit, they are dirty, they smell bad, and yet, they are necessary. They are the backbone of many successful farms. Draymond Green is three out of four of these — feel free to argue about which ones.

If comparing Green to the Earth seems a bit grandiose for you, the stats actually back it up. If an-uh-lytics make your eyes roll into the back of your head you may want to look away.

Next: Three Reasons The Warriors Dominated NOP In Game Four

After nine games in the playoffs, Green is currently leading this team in a slew of what are known as “Hustle Stats” meant to measure, as the name would seem to indicate, the hustle of players.

Green currently leads the team in screens resulting in points with 28, the next closest is David West with 16.

He is leading the team in deflections with 30, the next closest is Durant with 20.

He leads the team in contested two point shots with 104, the next closest is Kevon Looney with 61.

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He is currently in a three-way tie with Looney and Durant for contested three-point shots with 27. Which is a testament to how well the Warriors have defended the perimeter.

If you combine the previous two stats to find the overall king of shot contesting on the Golden State roster, Green comes out on top with 131 — over 40 more than the next Warrior, Kevon Looney.

A box out is a player’s ability to prevent the other team from getting rebounds, Draymond leads the team with 82. Exactly twice as many as the next Warrior, Looney.

To top all of that off, Green is also the team’s top defensive rebounder with 79, the team’s leader in steals with 16, and in blocks with 11.

Make no mistake, the reports of Draymonds slowing down were greatly exaggerated.  A hot topic about the events prior to game four was about a four a.m. texting spree coming from Green to fuel his teammates was used as a way to illustrate his leadership.

Don’t forget, it was Green who put his arm around Stephen Curry and went out to dinner with him years ago, talking him off the ledge, when the Grizzlies had the Warriors on the ropes, down 2-1 in the playoffs.

Green may not lead from the top, he may not be the fruit that nourishes on the trees in that Warriors orchard. But, without a doubt, Green is the fertilizer, the earth, that all-natural, pesticide-free dirt, that both fuels and grounds the rest of this squad.

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