In game one between the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers, Draymond Green was key to Golden State’s victory. He finished the game with a triple-double: 23 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, and three blocks. He also, impressively enough, sunk all nine of his free throw attempts. Green and Klay Thompson(37 points) led the Warriors to a 118-106 game one victory.
Green’s performance left a lasting impression. Head coach Steve Kerr called him a top-10 player. Center Andrew Bogut took it one step further. From Sports Illustrated’s Ben Golliver:
“Draymond is huge for us,” Warriors center Andrew Bogut said after the game. “His playmaking ability, his defensive ability. He’s probably the best all-around player in the league at this point.”
That’s certainly a very bold statement –especially coming from somebody on the same team as Stephen Curry. Other players in the running for top NBA players include LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Anthony Davis, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook, among others.
However, Draymond Green probably deserves to be up there with that group of players at this point. As Bogut pointed out, Green is incredibly well-rounded as a player.
He’s the vocal leader for Golden State. He’s also the team’s defensive leader, and the best passer on the roster –something that’s rare to see from the power forward position.
