Draymond Green deserving of blame had Warriors lost, Gilbert Arenas said

Draymond Green struggled last season. There's no other way to put it. While the four-time All-Star saw improvements in several areas, others slipped as Green was sidelined for nearly half the season.

With Green struggling in the NBA Finals in June, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas levied a considerable amount of criticism of Green. Arenas said that if the Warriors ultimately ended up losing in the finals, the blame would have rest on Green's shoulders.

Fortunately for Golden State Warriors fans, Green and the team completely turned things around in Game 4 and went on to win the championship. Green texted Arenas after the Game 6 clincher to thank him for his criticism. In fact, according to Arenas, he and Green message each other frequently.

During a recent interview, Arenas said the four-time champion never took offense to his criticism.

"He wasn't playing 'Draymond Green style.' Because I made comments about 'Draymond, if y'all lose this series, I blame you for it, because you're not doing what you do.' He didn't take offense to it. He understood where I was coming from. Yeah, We DM all the time.

"He understood what I meant. He knows I don't need you to go out there and try to score 20, pretend you're the 3-point shooter when your role is to play defense. Make sure everyone else is doing a role. That's what made you a champion. So, I can't take away what made you a champ."

Arenas' comments may have helped Green turn things around in the finals.

After an abysmal 116-106 Game 3 that put Boston ahead 2-1 in the series, Green's stats took a jump in a 107-97 Game 4 win. He had nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals in 33 minutes.

In Game 6 Championship-clinching performance, Green put up arguably his best stat-line of the postseason. He put up 12 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and two blocks.

Playing 'Draymond Green basketball'

The Draymond Green style of basketball is a large part of what made the Golden State Warriors a success during their championship stretch several years ago. With an emphasis on being a selfless leader, Green's defensive dominance and outspoken demeanor helped keep the Warriors on track in key moments.

"That's the Draymond Green game," Arenas said. "You sacrifice for the betterment of your team. You do that the best. So, I can't criticize you when your numbers don't look the way I think they should. I blame you if you don't, because it's all designed around you, getting everyone involved."

Only time will tell if Green and the Golden State Warriors are able to win back-to-back NBA championships.