CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 20: JaMychal Green #1 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a jump shot during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 20, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors were starting to pull away from the Dallas Mavericks by the second quarter, taking a 15-point lead with just under five minutes to go in the first half.
The Mavericks were a shell of themselves without Luka Dončić, but a Warriors team prone to late-game collapses needed a few players not named Draymond Green to keep that separation with a few stops and plays.
Enter JaMychal Green, who stuffed Spencer Dinwiddie’s layup attempt with one of his two weak-side blocks to help secure the Warriors’ 15-point lead at the half and eventual 119-113 win on Saturday night.
After Steph Curry left the game with a lower leg injury, the Warriors nearly gave up that lead in another fourth-quarter collapse. But Green’s emergence — a 14-point, five rebound within 15 minutes off the bench — gave them a little cushion.
“I thought JaMychal was our player of the game in terms of what he provided in his minutes,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Just the toughness inside, the scoring, made some good defensive plays. That position was manned well by JaMychal, (Kevon) Looney and Draymond (Green).”
Green’s emergence could be coming at a perfect time for the Warriors. They could use a little more size in the rotation. That started with Kerr opting to start Looney on Saturday for the first time since Jan. 19, putting an indefinite end to the three-guard starting lineup he trotted out over their last eight games starting against the Celtics in Boston.
The three-guard lineup featuring Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond at the five wasn’t providing the spark the Warriors’ staff had hoped — producing a modest plus-2.9 net rating compared to the Looney lineup’s plus-21.3.
Green had missed 14 straight games starting in late December with COVID, then a staf infection in his leg. And when Green was ready to return in late-January, the smaller ball strategy pushed him to the bench more often than not. Kerr warned Green that he’d be sitting out a few games; he played four of the Warriors last 21 games before Saturday.
“I was frustrated,” Green said. “I’m not going to lie, but I took it as a challenge. Took it upon myself to get in the gym and just stay ready. It’s hard being in and out, but you go to stay professional, stay on top of your game and just be ready when your name is called.”
Now Green says he feels “locked in.” He was a plus-7 on Saturday night, active on the boards and making himself a lob threat. The Warriors acquired him hoping he could replace Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica’s production — Saturday he gave some hope he might be up for the task.
“I just feel I was in my own way just overthinking,” Green said. “Now, I’m just playing free.”
Originally published at Shayna Rubin