Changing up my work flow a tad by trying to post these before the behind-the-scenes (BTS) video gets uploaded, which then maybe I’ll do a separate article on that. As for Game 1 of the LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors, I’ll leave it to Draymond Green. He blamed himself, although my and the rest of the livestream audience’s sentiment was that we were feeling out what the Lakers were capable of.
I made the analogy of any superhero movie where a new dangerous villain is introduced and the protagonist just doesn’t know what to make of it at the beginning. By the end, the hero figures it out. But I think I’ll peel the onion on that later when I post the BTS vid along with the livechat notes. Meanwhile, Draymond said of Game 1: “That’s on me.”
I’ll start with all the notes, quotes and video for Green — which starts with a partial transcription of his most recent podcast — and then the rest of Game 1 is in the usual reverse chronological order, leaving out the BTS video, picture gallery and livecast notes.
• Draymond Green Show postgame Game 1 podcast, on Anthony Davis: “once you see the ball go in the hoop (early)… point of attack… our pick and roll coverage can be better… a little getting used to especially series to series especially when you completely change your game plan… not give up those easy ones to start the game and let AD get a rhythm.”
• On AD’s blocks: “I didn’t think we challenged them a ton at the rim… he dominated on both sides… that’s on myself to change that. I’ll take that one on the chin.”
• On Steph Curry: “Vanderbilt… Schroder… free Steph up a little bit more… some things I can do to get him the ball.”
• On Kevon Looney: “Man, Loon is a rebounding machine… we gotta make sure we capitalize on that.”
• On the large free throw discrepancy: “…defending without fouling… they play a lot at the rim… especially when they’re in the bonus… 6 or 8… away from the rim fouls… in the penalty… (several free throws) changes things a lot.”
• On Jordan Poole: “I know everyone is talking about the last three that he missed. Quite frankly I like the shot… eat up the space (closer to the line)… Jordan taking that three is not why we lost the game… prior to that three, he was 6-for-10… shoot the piss out of the ball.”
• On how he played: “…things I personally could’ve done. I played like shit. I am disgusted with myself rn… can’t get in foul trouble… it’s been a thing lately… here and there, can’t do that… throws off rotations… matchups… not on the floor… lost my rhythm and I never really found it again.”
• On Klay: “…need him to stay aggressive.”
• On LeBron: “LeBron is playing a totally different style… interesting figuring it out… not used to seeing LeBron off the ball so much… not your typical LeBron running the show.”
• On what he liked: “We shot the three pretty decent… really, really good looks… but overall you gotta give them a lot of credit… go down to LA and get one, preferably two, but get one.“
• On what he didn’t like: “…fouls… lulls on offense… when they went up 10… very quick turnaround… not the reason why we lost.”
• On adjustments for Game 2: “We’ll continue to get our game plan together… figure some things out and that’s how every series goes… do a better job on DLo… (did a pretty good job on Austin Reaves)… Schroder… really big impact on the game… X-factor… he’s gonna play a ton of minutes.”
• On the approach to Game 2: “I trust in me, I trust in our guys… lace ‘em back up… take Game 2… I need to go watch this film. I know what I’m gonna see. Fucking disgusting.”
• Draymond Green postgame on playing a different team: “…just gotta make the adjustment and come back and play better.”
• On if the quick turnaround had an effect: “Nah… we fouled too much and that slowed us down… that’s on me.”
• On Davis: “…never gonna be one guy that shuts him down… you gotta take that head off… like I said that starts with me.”
• On the FT disparity: “there were some cheap ones that we kinda gave away… away from the hall when they were in the penalty. We’ll be better than that.”
• On the challenges of AD: “…athletic… rim protector… shot was going tonight…”
• On Jordan Poole: “…early on he passed up a couple… a series that will go his way… we’ll need him.”
• On what he needs to change: “My aggressiveness on both ends of the floor… allowed the three fouls to take me out of rhythm… kinda been a thing for me…”
• On if going small can be an advantage going forward: “That’s always been an advantage… Looney… not on him. If anything it was on me… we’ll watch the tape.”
• On the series tilting Poole’s way: “…the way they guard. They’re gonna give him some good looks… much better series for him, one that’ll turn his way and hopefully it’ll turn our way.”
• On if they should guard AD like they did Sabonis: “Hell, no. Totally different player. No way. We have to be better at the point of attack… ball screen defense… go from guarding pick and roll totally different… starts with our aggression… allow him to get a couple easy ones…”
• On if home court advantage is a myth: “Everybody wants to be at home… eventually we’ll have to do that and return the favor… be in front of your crowd… daily routine… protect home court next game but also come this weekend go down there and get one back.”
• Marcus Thompson postgame locker room, on Draymond: https://theathletic.com/4483832/2023/05/03/warriors-draymond-green-lakers/?source=emp_shared_article
When he was done in the weight room, a mini gym situated between the locker room and the practice court, he walked briskly to his locker. Head down. Quiet. His facial expression wasn’t exactly a scowl, but it was stern enough to give off the same vibe.
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Green looked angry. At least frustrated to the point of urgency.
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“I’ve got to play better,” he uttered at his locker, still shaking his head.
Green ripped off the shirt he lifted weights in, threw on a white Warriors hoodie, then went striking to the interview room. He normally gets dressed before addressing the media.
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“Oh yeah,” Wiggins said. “And I think he will be.”
• Steph Curry postgame on the turnaround and different teams: “Obviously a drastic difference between our last series and the style of play… how the Lakers come at you… little run in the third quarter when they got some momentum… we clawed our way back… too many turnovers on my part… but long series… first to four…”
• On either being too small or too big: “…if we can rebound, being small is to our advantage… kinda how we like to play. If it’s traditional… be more organized… respect how they’re trying to guard us… push up on the floor… I got my shot blocked three or four times… just an adjustment that you gotta make…”
• On LeBron saying facing him (23rd time) feels historic: “You have to reflect on everything we’ve gone through… 2015… appreciate another chapter… once the ball drops it’s a different feel… a different style that he’s playing… shooting a lot more threes… how awesome and special this battle is… it’s gonna be a fun series…”
• On what LeBron said to him when he followed Steph to the bench: “He was just joking about having to guard me all the way to the bench.”
• On if he liked the look Poole got late: “For sure… how we were flowing… in-rhythm shot…”
• On feeling out the Lakers’ ability to block shots: “…yes you gotta feel it.”
• On going big vs small: “Depending on who’s out there… trust that somebody’s gonna be open… can’t have two guys on top of each other, one guy can guard two… ball kinda stops… figured it out in the third quarter… gotta do that from jump…”
• On George Kittle saying Looney is bonafide tight end: “More of the same with Loon… 20-plus rebounds again… that physicality in the paint… he has a tough matchup… AD is gonna get his points… we gotta help him try to secure some more of those rebounds… not up here to give Loon anymore advice, he’s doing it perfect.”
• Klay Thompson postgame on the mental adjustment and turnaround: “…can’t dwell on it because they got a really good team over there… let one slip away… watch film and see how to attack them better.”
• On the Lakers rim protection: “A lot of it is Anthony Davis. He’s averaging four blocks throughout these playoffs… didn’t go in the way I wanted them to… it’s one game… even it out on Thursday.”
• On how to stop the fouling: “Just continue to make a mental note and be mindful that this team thrives on the free throw line… slower pace… playing with our hands back and living with the shots they take instead of swiping at everything.”
• On Poole: “…kept us in it… always gonna bounce back. Played just wonderful.”
• On how they were able to use small ball to come back: “Being gritty on defense. Steph made some incredible shots, so did Jordan… we still have another level to reach, especially for myself… no time to dwell on it, we have another game on Thursday.
• On the lineup with two bigs: “…when we’re big out there it’s just about being a little more patient… I gotta watch the film… we’ll have a much better game plan come Thursday.”
• On Looney: “…anchor for us… steady… effort and commitment to the game… true definition of a Warrior… tenacity especially on the boards.”
• On his play-making: “I probably can make more plays come Game 2… completely different look than the Kings… trust our ball movement a little more… we always respond when we have a tough night hit.”
• Kevon Looney postgame on rebounding vs AD: “…great player… tough to keep off the glass… slow him down a little bit…”
• Om a quick turnaround: “Definitely an adjustment… Kings offense is a lot different, similar to ours… didn’t get a lot of time to prepare. We gotta learn on the fly but we’re used to that.”
• On how to beat the way they’re defending them: “…don’t get bogged up and play with greater organization… me and Dray… nothing we’re not used to… make the right play calls…”
• On the biggest thing that turned the game: “…when we did get stops we weren’t able to get rebounds… stopped fouling in the fourth… in the third quarter, fouls, it was slowing us down.”
• On the FT disparity: “…we got a lot of silly fouls… I know I got two… fouled for no reason… they use their gamesmanship… we didn’t do a good job in the first half.”
• Steve Kerr postgame Game 1 on the quick turnaround: “We were the fresher team down the stretch… they decided to play their guys the whole fourth quarter… the last four minutes we were the team with more energy… incredible comeback…”
• On Anthony Davis’ blocks: “You always have to feel… first game of the series is a feel-out game… you have to feel the game and the personnel… that’s what this team has been doing the past few months… he’s a huge part of that… we’ll watch the tape.”
• On the large free throw disparity: “We committed some fouls that we didn’t need to… we need to bring that down (the FT disparity).”
• On going small late: “We needed to score… time and score dictated that we needed the spacing… made a great push… Wiggs’ rebounding… obviously the shooting… we were right there, we gave it a great fight… we’ll be ready for Game 2.”
• On being okay with Poole’s late three: “… knew somebody was gonna be wide open… Steph… got the ball out of the trap… Jordan… that’s a shot he can hit… had hit six threes already.”
• On if it’s hard to get paint points: “With Davis in the paint you’re not gonna get anything easy at the rim. You still have to attack… our guys did a pretty good job of that. They were trying to take away our threes, the top blocking…”
• On the Lakers getting paint points: “When you start the series, you really have to go through it to feel it then watch the tape… get like Davis made a lot of midrange shots… we have to be willing to give up because if we can keep them from the rim… we have to really look at the tape… counter some of the things they did.”
• On not playing Steph 40 minutes: “Yeah, yeah. And I think we were hanging in there… play him the whole fourth… felt like the right decision at the time.”
• On JaMychal Green: “We’re playing a big string team and JaMychal gives us some size… rebounding… the three… loosen up their defense… coming in we needed another big in this series… weren’t gonna play Draymond and Looney solely.”
• Darvin Ham on making a motion near Poole when he shot the late three: “I’m not one of those coaches that try to contest the shot… that’s not me, man… waving my players to get up and not give up an open shot.”
• On 44 minutes Davis played: “…If there’s gonna be load management, we have to manage their loads throughout the regular season in order for us to push them a little bit further during this time of year.”
• Anthony Davis postgame after Game 1, on what allowed him to be effective: “…being aggressive when I do catch… but it was the guards finding me early which allowed them to play free later on the game.”
• LeBron James postgame on having mental resolve to withstand the Warriors’ 14-0 run: “….we’ve been playing playoff basketball for about two and a half months… punch our card… Golden State… we know how great they are on their home floor.”
• On what adjustments to expect from the Warriors: “It’s gonna be a different game… building will probably be a little bit louder. I’m gonna continue to be aggressive… Draymond likes to help… we’ll see what happens in Game 2.”
• LeBron on walling off the paint, giving up 50 threes: “…they’re gonna get their looks anyway (can’t make mistakes).”
• AD on proving people wrong: “…just go out and play basketball… opinions outside of the locker room… irrelevant.”
• LeBron on Ham: “…we can be an extension of him… calming for him… guys in the floor that have been in the foxhole… make it as seamless as possible with the game plan they’ve given us.”
• LeBron on the Warriors’ 14-0 run: “Nah it was never a lack of execution for us… only had 8 turnovers… we just missed some shots… sometimes it’s a make or miss league.”
• LeBron on AD getting 30 & 20: “The Lakers… have always had dominant big men… force at the rim… that’s why their jerseys are in the rafters and AD will be up there when he’s done playing… command the paint defensively, can switch out the guards… treat for Laker Nation.”
• LeBron on winning at Chase for the first time: “…very difficult to win in the postseason. I got a lot of history at Oracle… that Warriors and that GS, those colors haven’t changed, so my respect for them hasn’t changed… look on the other side and see other great players… it’s pretty cool.”
• Darvin Ham pregame Game 1 on the Warriors having an advantage due to rhythm: “We’ll see once the tipoff happens… rest definitely for us this time of year was extremely helpful…”
• On the top of the scouting report: “Locating shooters… Memphis… Ja… guard the three-point line… the pace they play with, they play with neck-breaking speed… bigs that can screen… dribble hand offs… split actions… sprays…”
• On emphasizing to be ready for the speed and yet not practicing since Friday: “…we can’t get discouraged… no call, you gotta move on to the next play… multiple efforts… protect yourself from the onslaught of pace… having a short memory and being on your horse.”
• On Anthony Davis’ potential impact: “He’s a prideful defensive player…”
• On coaching this team and getting Tristan Thompson: “…it’s been a fun ride… surround yourself with a high-level staff… best possible plan and that’s the best part about it… the puzzle… Tristan, his spirit… I’ve known him for a long time… never played against him… great, great energy and he’s a very high IQ basketball player with championship DNA… not just meaningless chatter… brings a very productive element without actually playing on the floor…”
• On this being a rivalry: “The last time they matched up in the playoffs was ‘91. I don’t think that’s a rivalry…”
• On Kevon Looney: “…big part of their arsenal… you lose Kevon and Draymond… Donte… on the offensive glass, even Wiggs… that’s why everyone is not playing still… be ready to contest and dive back in the fray… they’re looking for those shooters…”
• On in if he was amazed by Looney: “years ago… when I was in Atlanta… draft workout… he knew how to play the game… you saw it jump out immediately… IQ… faking hand offs… his hands… great to see his rise… ask him about the time I lent him two basketballs… great kid, man…”
• On Golden State running different things than others in the NBA: “just talking through and breaking down on film. It’s more conceptual… it’s not ph you gotta be ready for this set… probably go blindfold and score 100 easily… (offensive rebounding) that’s when those threes start popping off… constant movement… they get more dangerous once they give the ball up…”
• On the Saginaw connections between him and Draymond: “He’s years behind me… almost twenty years… people in between… all of us Saginaw High Trojans… he articulated it perfectly on one of his podcast shows… I’m so proud of him… that goes both ways… the heights of what he’s taken his game too… definitely Hall of Fame… all those kids (that’ll see them)… make it up out of there if you stay focused.”
• Steve Kerr pregame Game 1 on how difficult it would be to go with two bigs: “We’ll see. It’s our best lineup… they negate some of the spacing issues with passing and screening and obviously Steph negates a lot of spacing issues on his own.”
• On if this feels later than the second round: “Yeah but every round is like that… a lot of great teams with a lot of history… a lot of great basketball to be played.”
• On conserving energy without having shootaround: “Given that the series is every other day… walkthroughs… our young guys get plenty of work in… vets… rest… rehab… probably similar story for the Lakers. It’s kind of what the playoffs are about… nine days off (if you win early)… no telling other than the series directly ahead of you.”
• On the sudden change of styles from Kings to Lakers: “You try to adapt as quickly as possible… (be wary to) score layups over AD… you quickly try to get your team to shift their focus, lock in on personnel and tendencies.”
• On going back to 2015, Steph coming into his own, he and LeBron sharing the same time in the NBA, if this has motivated Curry to be better: “It’s not quite the same timeline as Magic and Bird but it’s pretty close… three years behind… LeBron already was one (a superstar)… a lot of meetings in the postseason… mutual respect… just like Magic and Bird back in the day… that respect kind of takes a back seat… beat each other… wonderful for basketball fans, amazing for the league… two all-time greats at the peak of their powers for almost a decade…”
• On the evolution of game planning against LeBron: “…when Cleveland surrounded him with shooters… nowhere to help from… personnel that he was playing with, but you have to account for him… so smart and can beat you in so many different ways…”
• On Kuminga: “Potentially. Game 1 is often a kind of a process of seeing what a team is doing and seeing where you’re gonna attack… defend… who you might play… given we just played a seven-game series… same with J-Mike, same with Lamb… a lot of options.”
• On if home court advantage is overrated: “You still want it. I know that… strange as a sixth seed… having a team that’s been together for a long time… great confidence that you can win on the road… focuses you even more… that was the case for us the other day in Sacramento… (vs) Game 6 at home.”
• On the process of finding energy: “…you take every experience and you file it away… as a coaching staff you try to message thjngs so your players understand… go play… pretty simple.”
• On if the Lakers have the advantage with the extra days of rest: “I think we have the advantage of being in rhythm, honestly… feel great… we’re at home… we should win this one to do what we’re supposed to do… just because they got a couple days’ rest.”
• LeBron James from Lakers practice, day before Game 1, on Curry: “He puts in the work… Nine times out of ten you’re gonna see results… done that throughout his entire career, nothing but the utmost respect… also off the floor… set an example for generations to come.”
• On his rivalry with Steph: “Two of the most competitive players ever to play this game. We want to enter our name into the history books… in our own way.”
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