Golden State Warriors fans were confident their veteran-led squad had what it takes to beat a young and exciting Houston Rockets squad that finished the regular season as one of the bigger favorites to make a deep postseason ru winn.
While the first game had Dubs fans worrying about the team’s postseason hopes, their most recent victory against the Rockets made it clear that the Warriors have become a strong basketball team that can make a deep run in the postseason.
One of the biggest reasons for their rise is Jimmy Butler. His effectiveness as a scorer and defender gave the Warriors some much-needed breathing room they haven’t had since Kevin Durant was on the team. Stephen Curry has been playing his mind out, much to the fans’ delight.
However, fans who saw how Game 4 played out would be the first to say that another player made a significant impact on their win.
Analyst claims Draymond Green’s importance to the Golden State Warriors’ defense after masterful Game 4 performance
Green finished the 106-109 win with a very humble stat line of six points, eight rebounds, and five assists. He almost got kicked out of the game early after fouling five times to prevent Alperen Sengun from being at his most effective.
However, Green’s defense became the defining factor that helped the Warriors run away with the win. Golden State of Mind’s Joel Viray wrote about one aspect of Green’s defensive approach that attacked Sengun’s preference to go right on the post:
In a possession during the beginning stages of the third quarter, take note how Draymond allows Şengün to spin to his right while dribbling the ball with his left, which in most situations — against other defenders — is often a point of no return. But with the knowledge that Şengün would prefer to finish with his dominant hand, Draymond gives Şengün a slight nudge underneath the rim, knowing that Şengün would be slightly delayed by his attempt to switch hands. That small delay is all that Draymond needs to take away the angle and knock Şengün off kilter.
Make no mistake, Sengun still had a terrific game against the Warriors. The Turkish big man finished with 31 points, 10 boards, five assists, and two steals. However, Green’s efforts became important in sealing the win and a series lead that is hard to beat.
Whether the Dubd can make the most of the opportunity and finish with a gentleman’s sweep is an entirely different question, though. Sengun, Ime Udoka, and the rest of the Rockets will not go down without a fight.
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