Golden State Warriors All-Star power forward Draymond Green's scoring this season has gone down. He's only averaging 10.9 points per game. In fact, it's his lowest scoring production since he was a reserve during his second season in the NBA. But that doesn't stop him from saying that he's one of the best players in the NBA.
Speaking to ESPN on Monday, Green said, "I think I'm one of the best players in the NBA. Am I going to go out and score 30 every night? Absolutely not. But I didn't say I was one of the best scorers. I think I'm one of the best players, and I think anybody should believe that. I think if you don't believe that, you're failing yourself, and you're not allowing yourself to be that ... But I don't say that in a sense of, 'Oh, I'm one of the best. I'm better than Steph, I'm better than KD.' Like, that isn't me. When I just look at the game, that's how I feel.
"But the things that I do are more self-gratifying than anything. I don't do something to say, 'Man, I wonder if they saw that screen I just set. I wonder if they saw what I just did to help him get that bucket.' I don't do that, but I'll run down the court feeling amazing about it. That's just kind of how I am."
If you take a look at his stats, he still leads the Warriors in other categories: rebounds (10.1), assists (7.1), steals (2.3) and blocks (1.6). What's truly amazing is that he's already blocked 16 shots. Good for eight in the league and the shortest, at 6-foot-8, among the top 13 leaders in blocks That goes to show just how valuable Draymond Green is to the Golden State Warriors. He just continues to find ways to contribute to the team even while playing with seven-time All-Star Kevin Durant.
Most people would say that Green sacrificed the most on the offensive end. What with Durant averaging 27.7 points per game, Steph Curry 27.2 ppg and Klay Thompson 18.8 ppg. , there's really no reason for anyone to argue with that.
Tell that to Green and he would quickly refute that thought. According to Green, it's all about being smart and not being sacrificial to the team.
"I do turn down some shots, but I think that's just basketball knowledge," Green said to ESPN. "If I'm open and KD's open, if you're smart, you throw the ball to KD and let him shoot it. If I'm open and Steph's open, if you have any type of sense, you throw the ball to him and let him shoot it. If I'm open and Klay is open, if you have any brainpower, you'll throw the ball to him and let him shoot it. So that's just the way I play the game of basketball."
If being smart results into wins, it's hard to argue with that. Hopefully that would lead into not just another All-Star berth for Green, but another championship ring as well.