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Draymond Green is an NBA player who clearly prides himself on his defensive abilities. He has made the All-Defensive team six times and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.
No doubt, the Golden State Warriors suffered defensively in his absence with a back injury this season. However, according to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, Green is out of consideration in the DPOY race after missing more than 30 games.
Green’s return spurred a debate on ESPN’s “First Take,” as the crew discussed whether the Phoenix Suns or the Warriors have a better chance in the playoffs. Smith picked the Warriors, but he had a sidenote for Green, as he said:
“He is not the Defensive Player of the Year. Draymond, get that out your head. You don’t miss 32 games and you are Defensive Player of the Year. That title is going to belong to Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns.”
Green, who has his eyes on the honor every single year, took offense to Smith's comments. The smallest number of games a Defensive Player of the Year has played during an 82-game season was 56, when Rudy Gobert won in 2018. Green could reach a maximum of 48 appearances if he plays in all of the remaining regular-season games.
Green took to Instagram, drawing a reference to Gobert winning in 2018, to ask Smith a question:
“Were you one of the votes when 52 games won it? Just want to be sure I keep my hypocrite counter on track.”
As of Monday, the NBA’s DPOY ladder had Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the race, with Gobert and Bridges filling the next two ranks. Despite missing a sizeable chunk of games, Green was a part of the next five, which also included Marcus Smart, Jaren Jackson Jr., Bam Adebayo and Herbert Jones – in no particular order.
Draymond Green’s presence elevates the Warriors game
It is well-known that the Golden State Warriors are a much better team with Green on the floor. The Warriors have won 29 of the 35 games Green has played, but only 18 of 34 without him. That’s probably why Steph Curry was all smiles when Green suited up for the Warriors on Monday night.
The Golden State Warriors (47-22) are third in the West, trailing the Memphis Grizzlies (48-22) by 0.5 games. They only have a few tough games remaining and will be eyeing the second seed for the playoffs. After missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, the Warriors are back among the top teams in the NBA – with their eyes on the ultimate prize.
DPOY or not, Green must focus on helping the Warriors achieve their goals and contend for the title. He is a crucial piece in the mix for the Warriors, and if he’s able to use Smith's comments as fuel, his team could be a tough nut to crack for any opponent.
Guess the Lakers players!
