When we think about Draymond Green, the first thing that comes to mind is the energy, hustle, and fighting mindset that he has brought to the Golden State Warriors’ defense for years. That has been his USP throughout his 18-year career in the NBA, in which he has played a massive role in helping the Dubs win four championships. On Wednesday, he rolled back the years and produced a defensive masterclass against the Los Angeles Clippers in a crucial must-win Play-In clash. However, it later emerged that he was nowhere near his best physical condition ahead of the game.

During ESPN’s NBA Today segment, Shams Charania revealed that Green was terribly ill before the game but managed to pull through and delivered a sensational performance.

“Team sources told me Draymond Green was sick. He was throwing up, puking all over the place in pregame,” Charania said. “Sideline, in the back area by the locker room. And you could tell as the game was starting, his energy looked a little low.”

Even Fox Sports 1’s Rachel Nichols shared a video on X showing Green ‘hacking a cough’ during warmups and not looking fully fit from the beginning.

Despite all odds, Green stepped up, and though he looked a little out of gas initially, he adjusted to the pace of the game soon after, only to deliver a sensational fourth-quarter performance to help the Warriors register a 126-121 win on Wednesday night. For the majority of the game, he was matched against Kawhi Leonard.

He limited ‘The Claw’ to only just six points with two turnovers on 3-for-7 shooting from the field in the 10 minutes they shared the court. The 36-year-old also made a couple of crucial steals, including one time he stripped the ball off Leonard in the final minute of play.

Green featured for 35 minutes, and more than the statistics, it was his contributions to the defense down the stretch and his neutralization of Leonard in the final quarter that helped the Dubs stage a comeback win over the Clippers. His performance was so good that Steve Kerr and even Leonard had to give him his flowers.

Draymond Green earns praise from Steve Kerr and Kawhi Leonard following an impressive performance

The Golden State Warriors entered the Play-In tournament with a lot of doubt, as they lost to the same opponent to close out the regular season without Kawhi Leonard. However, the Dubs also didn’t have Draymond Green, as he was rested due to a back issue. He was not well for the Play-In clash as well, but he played anyway and demonstrated the difference that he makes in this Warriors roster.

Following the game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr hailed the 36-year-old as the most suited guy to defend Leonard. “Draymond, I think, is probably as well-suited to guard Kawhi as any player in the league, because of his strength and his brains and his ability to defend without fouling,” Kerr stated.

During the media availability after the Play-In clash, Leonard also gave his flowers to Green as he highlighted how tough it was to get shots away with the 36-year-old defending him. “That was it right there. They had a great game plan. And then, you know, Draymond Green, Hall of Fame defender. Yeah, it was hard to even get shots up,” the former Defensive Player of the Year added about Green.

The Clippers have been extremely dependent on Leonard, and at the start of this game, it felt like the right ploy for the Los Angeles-based outfit as they secured a 61-53 lead at the end of the first half. Out of those 61 points, Leonard scored 14 before Green decided to shut shop in the second half to prove why he is hailed as one of the best defenders in the league.

While it was a sensational performance, Green and the Warriors cannot get complacent here as they will lock horns against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night for a place in the playoffs this season. If Green manages to pull another defensive masterclass, the Dubs could smoothly sail into the playoffs.