Warriors: Draymond Green contributing despite struggles

The Golden State Warriors’ struggles have continued this season and the same could be said for Draymond Green. But he’s found other ways to contribute to the team.

As the Golden State Warriors find themselves struggling, so does former All-Star Draymond Green. Not being able to get anything going with the ball in his hands, the forward has struggled immensely, yet he has shined in other areas on the court.

Currently sitting at the very bottom of the Western Conference, the Warriors find themselves in an unfamiliar state after five straight NBA Finals appearances.

The loss of star-studded duo Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson due to injury has undoubtedly factored into this as this season went downhill quickly without the tandem.

The team has been led by first-year Warrior D’Angelo Russell and coveted veteran Draymond Green who have struggled to keep the team afloat. Russell has been having another All-Star-caliber season, but Green has been hit or miss with his play.

On the season, the forward is doing some of everything, averaging 8.4 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.5 steals. Leading the team in every one of these statistical categories except points, Green has shown he does not have to score to make his presence felt.

Regardless, while the team is not dependent on the former Defensive Player of the Year’s offensive play, it is welcomed. In his last seven games, Green has not been able to get anything going offensively as the team has lost every game during that run.

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Throughout this stretch of games, Green is averaging 4.9 points per game while shooting 27.5 percent from the field and 22.7 percent from deep. Though his offense has been troublesome, the forward has still been making plays across the floor nightly.

Totaling 6.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.3 blocks per game in these last seven, Green’s impact has been felt everywhere on the court.

Yet, in some games, it feels like Green’s impact is merely nonexistent. In the team’s last match, they faced a historic loss to the Utah Jazz, and the forward made minimal contributions for the Warriors.

Playing in 25 minutes, Green totaled just five points on 2-of-3 shooting to go with four rebounds, and two assists in the 129-96 loss.

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Although the Warriors have been in a downward spiral since the season began, Green’s play as the heart and soul of this team should never be in question.

The veteran performs best when he is not relied on to score and the three-time All-Star has proved this in previous seasons. While his contributions are not tallying up wins like past years, they remain a bright spot in a season lacking them.

After this season, Green’s five-year, $82 million contract extension will expire, but will immediately be followed with a four-year, almost $100 million extension that was previously agreed to.

With that being said, Green is going to continue playing in a Golden State Warriors’ uniform for the long haul — possibly the remainder of his career.

While things may look worrisome now, this team has not been at full strength for a very long time, and losing critical players for months at a time is going to damage any organization.

When this group is all back on the court together, expect them to climb right back into contention.