Warriors' Draymond Green joins LeBron James, Nikola Jokic in historic feat
11/11/2024 06:35 PM
With Draymond Green’s 11 assists during the Golden State Warriors 127-116 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, he joined elite statistical company. No, it has nothing to do with technical fouls, although he’s up to two on the season. Green moved into third place in NBA history in games with 10+ assists as a non-guard, only trailing fellow legends LeBron James and Nikola Jokic, per StatMamba.
The 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year is 87th all-time with 4,616 assists and averages 5.6 per game over his career. Green is in his 13th season, all with the Warriors.
Warriors building steam in 2024-25 season
Green pointed out the biggest difference between this season and last after the Warriors’ win over the Thunder.
"The main reason depth is important is because you…remember last year? Steph and Steve talking about the lineups and just kind of running out of options of lineups that we can go to, and this year is the total opposite.
"If we need to go small, we can go small. If we need to put a shooting lineup out there, we can put a shooting lineup. If we need to put a defensive lineup, we can put a defensive lineup. If we need to put a big lineup, we can put a big lineup. So it definitely makes a difference a night like tonight, where they played five guards all night pretty much. It's good we're able to have that adaptability."
While Buddy Hield has enjoyed some of the spotlight as a new team member, becoming Steph Curry’s partner in crime from three-point range this season, De’Anthony Melton has also taken well to his role in the rotation in his first season in Golden State. He shot 5-of-8 from three against Oklahoma City, scoring 19 points and collecting 10 rebounds in 27 minutes.
Of course, Melton must stay healthy. He’s already missed five games with lower back pain, the same injury that sidelined him for much of the 2023-24 season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Steve Kerr spoke about how he’d like Melton to be a regular starter along with Curry, Green, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Andrew Wiggins, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
"I would like for that starting group that was out there tonight, I would like for that group to be our group going forward."
With Klay Thompson coming to town, there may be fireworks in the Warriors’ upcoming game against the Dallas Mavericks.
“I’m going to run through [Thompson’s] chest when we play him now. I wasn’t going to, but now I’m going to run through his chest. That’s where that whole thing came from. Obviously, we all love Klay, but to love Klay is to also know that he’s going to come in there and try to murder us."
The 8-2 Warriors are coming off a five-game road trip. They won four of those contests, including victories over the Thunder, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets. Their lone loss came against the undefeated 10-0 Cleveland Cavaliers.
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