The Golden State Warriors have been on a roll in recent weeks, but the team’s 114-105 loss to the undermanned Denver Nuggets on Monday stands out among the Dubs’ most disappointing performances of the season. After getting a second wind with the arrival of Jimmy Butler, it appears Stephen Curry could be fatigued from carrying the team most of the season.
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After the underwhelming display in Denver, Steve Kerr pointed out how much Steph has been doing for the team. When Stephen A. Smith discussed the Warriors’ recent loss, though, he had no words about either Curry or Butler, and instead directed his comments at Draymond Green.
Stephen A. recalled how Draymond guaranteed a Warriors championship on national TV, essentially writing a check that Curry and Butler have to cash. Smith knows how important Green is from a defense and playmaking perspective, but he believes the true key to Golden State’s success is Draymond’s shooting accuracy.
Stephen A. stressed the importance of Green taking—and making—his open threes in order to take pressure off of the Dubs’ other stars. “If you don’t guard [Draymond], and you leave him open, and he hits those shots, it changes everything,” Smith said. “Because then they can upset somebody in the Western Conference.”
“Who’s the person who went on national television during All-Star Weekend and guaranteed a championship?” @stephenasmith CALLS OUT Draymond Green after the Warriors’ loss to the Nuggets pic.twitter.com/BqQftlufDV
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 18, 2025
Green has proven that he can be a reliable three-point shooter, although he hasn’t been a knockdown marksman since the 2015-16 season. However, Draymond has shown signs of life with his deep shot this season.
Green shot just 0-1 from deep in the Dubs’ loss to Denver on Monday, failing to open up space for what was clearly an exhausted Curry. If the former Defensive Player of the Year hopes to live up to his championship guarantee, he’ll have to contribute more from the field.
“So that man that opened his mouth and guaranteed a championship, it’s on him,” Stephen A. said of Green. “It’s literally on [Draymond Green]! Because I know what Jimmy Butler is gonna do… We know what Steph Curry is all about. But if Draymond makes shots, it’s a different ball game.”
Stephen A. clearly believes Green’s shooting abilities are the X-factor of Golden State’s title hopes. When the four-time All-Star is knocking down shots, he helps space the floor and make everyone else’s lives easier. With the 36-year-old Curry looking visibly gassed, Green may have to step up more in the closing weeks of the season.
Golden State is a blazing 14-2 since acquiring Butler, but the team cannot afford to cool down now in the hotly contested Western Conference. Currently clinging to the sixth seed, the Warriors must keep their hot streak going if they hope to avoid the Play-In Tournament.
