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Reviving Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson: Can Draymond Green Bring Back the Struggling Splash Brothers?

Published 01/09/2024, 3:11 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

After a 12-game interval, Draymond Green is back. After serving his second suspension, the tough phase for the four-time champion has ended. And it comes at the right time for the Golden State Warriors. The franchise has fallen into desperation after the Toronto Raptors blew them out. They are falling dangerously close to being shunned from the postseason picture.

In 36 games so far, they have won only 17. It has been a season of experimenting for Steve Kerr. Constant lineup changes, switching positions, and outliving an injury train are all the things the veteran coach has had to face. The most intense was probably Green’s suspension. The team lost an elite defender, his intelligence, and mainly – their leader. Numbers show them having a winning record during the 12-game stretch. However, it’s evident that something lacks in their basketball.

It very well has been Draymond Green. His return couldn’t have come at a better time. The Warriors just lost a vital pawn. But is Green enough to recover from their slump?

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Draymond Green comes as soon as Chris Paul is out

Green is back with the Warriors right on time as Chris Paul has to take a seat. In the game against the Pistons the ‘point god’ fractured his left hand. Post-surgery, the Warriors announced he would remain on the sidelines for the next 4-6 weeks. This means Stephen Curry would have been without his chief playmaker.

But he only got that position because Draymond Green went out. It has always been the former DPOY who has run plays for Curry and Klay. If the Splash Brothers were delivering the blow, Green’s brain was a part of the monster scheme. No one knows those two better than Draymond Green.

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USA Today via Reuters

Additionally, he is the heart of the teams’ defense. Green is an expert defender who has the versatility to guard all five positions.
Many will argue he has deteriorated this season. Honestly, while that might be true it seems the mental troubles are what caused those reckless events. As he stated, he was ready to retire because it all got too much. Every professional has these disturbing times. But now Draymond Green is back and at peace. He has fulfilled all of the league’s requirements and even done counseling.
The question? Is he enough to reignite the Splash Brothers’ power?

Draymond Green is the key but the Warriors need to work together

Green coming back to this group makes a significant difference. He has the natural acumen to read the room before making his move. His fighting spirit is intense and passionate. At times it leaks out, but a settled and calmer Green is his best version. When Green is at his fittest, both mentally and physically, the Warriors work in symphony. Each play looks fluid, each move falls right into place and it is a continuous motion. That’s just not going to be enough this time.

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The game is now far beyond a Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson impending explosion. What the Warriors need is cohesion and unity. It’s time to live to the words of their motto. No season can turn around on the sole dependence of one name. It starts with clearing the tension. Steve Kerr and Kuminga, Wiggins’ slump and more needs to be addressed.

USA Today via Reuters

What Draymond Green coming back could give the Warriors is a vocal leader, someone who can lead the charge with his energy and effort. For his contribution to make a difference, everyone needs to be on the same page. In some way, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry will enjoy having their long-time teammate back. However, it comes accompanied by the complexity of rotation changes. Either Wiggins or Kuminga will need to sit which reduces floor spacing. They need to find a way to compensate for the loss, one way could be to go small and keep Looney off the bench. The challenge with that is the numerous mismatches available at each time.

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Even with the return of one of their most trusted, the problems remain with the potential of climbing. However, if they approach with the championship mentality that exists in the building, Green can surely resurrect Stephen Curry, Klay, and the Warriors.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Having composed close to 2000 articles, he aspires to manage his own team one day and is pursuing a top-tier college-level management program specializing in sports. Anuj's love for basketball blossomed after he started following the NBA a few years ago, and he decided to merge his writing skills with his understanding of this thrilling game.
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