After having their backs against the wall, the Golden State Warriors have finally started to turn their season around. Following their recent 129-107 win over the Utah Jazz, Stephen Curry and co. clinch a five-game winning streak. As absurd as it sounds, Draymond Green believes that his suspension has played a factor in the Bay Area side’s success.
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The Splash Brothers had an incredible outing tonight. The backcourt duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 51 points and 20 made field goals. Draymond Green also had a valuable performance. Coming off a 15-point near triple-double outing, the defensive specialist stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.
During the postgame conference, Green explained how he was the reason behind the Warriors’ recent success. No, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year wasn’t talking about his on-court performance. Rather, he explained how his month-long suspension ended up benefitting the team. As per Dray, his absence led to the emergence of Jonathan Kuminga, who is now the “bonafide number 2 option” for Steve Kerr.
“Honestly, I think me getting suspended helped in a weird way. Since I got suspended JK’s taken off. And that has kinda set the stage for this team. Bonafide number 2 option on our team,” Green explained.
With the Warriors having some momentum, Green also elucidated how the likes of Gary Payton II and Chris Paul, who were out with injuries, will be impactful.
“You have me back, you have GP back from his injury, CP will be coming back. Now you got those pieces coming back that you know you can rely on,” Draymond said.
Draymond Green asked how the Warriors have generated increased depth: “Honestly getting suspended helped. JK’s taken off. Bona fide #2 for this team…Our offense don’t look the same like it used to.”
Did note: “Not that I wanted to get suspended or it was good.” pic.twitter.com/iYYRjqh1gV
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 13, 2024
Green is correct in his assessment of Kuminga. Ever since the four-time champion’s suspension, Steve Kerr has displayed faith in the youngster. The 21-year-old isn’t merely starting games but has also been the 2nd scoring option behind Curry amid Klay Thompson’s struggles.
Over the last 15 games, 21 year old Jonathan Kuminga is 4th in NBA in FGM at the rim. Leading the ENTIRE NBA in FG% at the rim
79/101 (78.2%) at the rim during this stretch. Many of which are self-created. Terrifying and seemingly replicable shift in shot diet and aggressiveness pic.twitter.com/CCnCJ5R0Kf
— NBA University (@NBA_University) February 12, 2024
After averaging 12.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists from October to December, JK’s has witnessed a massive rise in production. Since January, the athletic forward has averaged a staggering 20.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.
The Warriors are 8-4 since the return of Draymond Green
In December, while Draymond Green was suspended, the Golden State Warriors were performing like a lottery-bound team, to say the least. However, the four-time All-Star’s return has helped the San Francisco side turn their fortunes. Since 15th January, the Warriors have won 8 out of 12 games, defeating several powerhouses such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns.
After dangling around the 11th and the 12th spot in the Western Conference, the 2022 champions’ five-game winning streak has gotten them to a comfortable spot at the 10th position. While they have a 1.5-game cushion from the #11 Utah Jazz, the GSW are only 0.5 games behind the #9 Los Angeles Lakers.
The Golden State Warriors have a fairly tough schedule for the next two weeks. Apart from an away game against the Utah Jazz, Steph Curry and co. will host the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Charlotte Hornets, and the Denver Nuggets. However, with the form that they are in, the Bay Area side would be expected to win a majority of them and rise in the standings.
