Warriors Forward Draymond Green: ‘If I Play In Game 5, We Win!’

There has been much speculation about how the Golden State Warriors would have fared had forward Draymond Green not been suspended in Game 5.

NBA FINALS GAME 5 HIGHLIGHTS

Green put all conjecture to rest Wednesday, telling CSN Bay Area’s Monte Poole that he believes the Warriors would already have closed out the NBA Finals in five games had he played Monday night.

“I have a strong belief that if I play Game 5, we win Game 5,” Green told CSN Bay Area. “But I didn’t because I put myself in a situation where I wasn’t able to play.”

Green posted 28 points, seven rebounds and five assists in Game 2.

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated Golden State 112-97 in Game 5, on the strength of record-scoring performances from Lebron James and Cavs point guard Kyrie Iriving.

James scored 41 points, pulled down 16 rebounds and dished seven assists to go with three blocks and three steals.

It was a game that would have ranked near, if not at, the top of his illustrious career had it not been for Irving stealing some of the spotlight.

Irving scored 41 points of his own and shot nearly 71 percent from the floor to help pace the Cavs past the dubs, who were missing Green on both ends of the floor.

“The only thing that matters is what happen(s) in between these four lines,” James told Doris Burke after Game 5. “Our guys understood that this was, I mean, it’s the final countdown. We had to come out mentally focused, mentally prepared, mentally sharp. Our coaching staff gave us a great game plan and we executed it.”

LEBRON JAMES AND KYRIE IRVING GAME 5 POSTGAME INTERVIEW

Green’s suspension was handed down by the NBA after reviewing an altercation between he and James from Game 4.

James appears to step over Green, who was lying on his back, and he responded by taking a swipe in the direction of King James’ family jewels. The NBA went back to look at the tape and found Green committed a Grade-1 Flagrant Foul, which pushed the Warriors do-everything player over the threshold for suspension.

“At the end of the day, everyone is going to have their opinion on it and it don’t matter no more,” Green said. “I have to be better and not put myself in this position.”

HERE”S A LOOK BACK AT GREEN VS> JAMES

With Game 6 looming Thursday night in Cleveland, Lebron and the Cavs will be looking for revenge, but the Warriors just want to repeat the success they have had, both in 2015-2016, and last season.

Golden State gutted the Cavaliers on their own floor in the sixth game of the 2015 NBA Finals, Green thinks nothing would be sweeter than a repeat performance.

“We got an opportunity to do something that, i don’t think it’s ever been done … where you win a championship on someone else’s floor two years in a row,” Green said Wednesday. “We have that opportunity. It’s a fun one. It’ll be tough.”

Article by Kevin Xavier