Steph Curry, Draymond Green can determine Warriors’ NBA playoff fate
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Warriors’ fate over final stretch lies with Steph, Draymond originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO – After losing complete control of their top priority in the regular season Sunday, the Warriors got a measure of satisfaction Tuesday with a victory that for much of the night had the earmarks of defeat.
The two primary ingredients in the comeback win over the New Orleans Pelicans are the same ingredients that will dictate Golden State’s fate over the next five games.
The first is that Stephen Curry is on the roster and healthy, and the second is that Draymond Green is, well, on the roster and healthy.
“It’s pretty amazing to watch,” coach Steve Kerr said late Tuesday night. “These guys, they still got it. They’re champions for a reason. It’s harder now than it was before because of the decade-long run and the energy that it takes, but at their core, these guys are champions and it’s going to come out.”
We don’t know how the last five regular-season games will go, and neither do the Warriors. But they surely realize who and what is at their essence. That much was reestablished in the 120-109 win over the Pelicans.
“Draymond lit a fire,” Curry said, referring to Green’s calculated volatile act in the second quarter, “and we were able to make the necessary adjustments and let our play speak for itself. I said after the game that we have to play better if we’re going to beat anybody in the playoffs.
“But not a lot of teams can do what we did based on the confidence we have in ourselves to come back like we did tonight.”
That confidence comes mostly from Curry and Green. For all the good and greatness that can come from Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney, Donte DiVincenzo, Gary Payton II, Jonathan Kuminga and the rest of the cast, Curry and Green are the dual commanders. Others can play starring roles. They are co-directors.
Green is Golden State’s spark and flame, and he was at his agitating, exhorting best…
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