Draymond Green Speaks on Absence of Steph Curry After Game 1 vs Timberwolves | May 6, 2025

Draymond Green Speaks on Absence of Steph Curry After Game 1 vs Timberwolves | May 6, 2025

SHARE. >> HANDLE THE ROAD? >> YEAH. CAN YOU KIND OF TAKE US THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HIT I THINK YOU HIT A BIG THREE, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST QUARTER WHEN STEPH STRAINED THE HAMSTRING. AND I GUESS YOU GUYS ARE CELEBRATING A TIMEOUT. BUT STEPH’S WALKING OFF THE FLOOR. AND JUST KIND OF THE EMOTIONS OF ALL. >> THAT WELL I DIDN’T SEE WHAT HAPPENED. I ALSO DIDN’T SEE THAT HE HAD GRABBED HIS HAMSTRING. I JUST SAW HIM LIMPING A BIT. SO I WALKED OVER TO HIM TELL HIM GOOD PASS. AND HE WAS KIND OF WALKING TOWARDS THE LOCKER ROOM AND I SAID, YOU’RE GOOD. HE WAS LIKE, I’LL BE BACK. AND HE JUST KEPT PUSHING, BUT WE DIDN’T REALLY KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON FOR A WHILE, SEVERAL MINUTES. AND LIKE, I MEAN GAME TIME, MINUTES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS A LOT LONGER THAN JUST MINUTES. WE DIDN’T KNOW FOR A LONG TIME. AND THEN THEY FINALLY TOLD US IT WAS A HAMSTRING, A LITTLE DEFLATING, BUT WE KNEW, YOU KNOW, HE HAD DID A GREAT JOB OF HELPING US BUILD A COMFORTABLE ENOUGH LEAD. AND. ROBIN TURNED INTO BATMAN. WHAT Y’ALL CALL BUDDY? >> ALFRED. >> ALFRED TURNED INTO ROBIN, AND THEY JUST THEY FILLED IN. SO IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO SEE. AND THEN EVERYBODY PLAYED GREAT MINUTES. GUEYE CAME IN, PLAYED GREAT MINUTES. THE HUSTLE PLAYS FROM GUEYE SANTOS. WHAT DID HE PLAY? THREE MINUTES THREE MINUTES AND 43 SECONDS. AND HE WAS HUSTLING ALL OVER THE GLASS. HE WAS CAUSING CAUSING WEARING THOSE GUYS DOWN. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO SEE. JC GREAT MINUTES GUARDING AND HIT A BIG TIME SHOT. TIMELY CUTS. EVERYBODY WHO CAME IN THE GAME GAVE US SOMETHING LOONEY WAS HUGE OFF THE BENCH, GAVE GREAT MINUTES AND SO YOU KNOW COMPLETE TEAM EFFORT. BUT WE KNOW THIS SERIES WILL GET TOUGHER AND TOUGHER. BUT YOU KNOW HOPEFULLY WE GET STEPH BACK. BUT REGARDLESS IF WE GET STEPH BACK OR NOT THAT’S A REALLY GOOD TEAM WITH A LOT OF PRIDE AND A LOT OF TALENT. AND THE COHESIVENESS OF THAT TEAM HAS GROWN OVER THE YEAR. AND SO THEY’RE TOGETHER TEAM AND WE KNOW THEY’RE GOING TO COME OUT FIGHTING. >> WHAT WAS STEPH’S MOOD AT HALFTIME. WE HEARD HE HAD KIND OF HAD THE ICE PACK ON HIS HAMSTRING. AND IT SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS A LITTLE DEFLATED. >> HE WAS A LITTLE DEFLATED. BUT HE DIDN’T. HE TRIED NOT TO SHOW IT. YOU KNOW HE WAS JUST IN THE LOCKER ROOM WAITING ON GUYS TO COME IN, CONTINUING TO SHOW THAT SUPPORT, SAYING WHAT HE SAW GOING ON IN THE GAME. BUT IT WAS TOUGH. >> ONE. GUYS HELD MINNESOTA OVER 15 FROM THREE IN THE FIRST HALF. AND AS YOU SAW 88 POINTS OVER PAUL, WAS THERE SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT DEFENSIVE EFFORT TODAY OR JUST SOMETHING YOU GUYS DID THAT WAS EXTRAORDINARY. >> JUST WE FLEW AROUND, WE MADE EXTRA EFFORTS, WHICH WAS IMPORTANT. WE KNOW THIS IS A VERY, VERY GOOD THREE POINT SHOOTING TEAM. AND WE KNEW THAT WE DIDN’T WANT TO GIVE THEM UNCONTESTED LOOKS. THEY THEY STARTED TO HIT THREES. THEY CAN ROLL. SAW THAT LAST SERIES. AND SO THAT’S YOU KNOW WE’RE NOT GOING TO HOLD THEM TO FIVE THREES EVERY NIGHT THAT’S FOR SURE. BUT INCREDIBLE JOB. INCREDIBLE GAME PLAN PUT TOGETHER BY KD AND STACK ON THE DEFENSIVE END I THINK GUYS DID A GREAT JOB OF FOLLOWING IT. BUT I THINK WE CAN BE A LOT BETTER. >> DRAYMOND 18 OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS SEVEN BY JIMMY. HOW’D YOU OUTPLAY PLAY BIGGER THAN THESE TIMBERWOLVES. >> I THINK YOU KNOW JUST BEING RELENTLESS. YOU KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE THE GAME. JUST LIKE YO WE GOT OUT REBOUNDED PRETTY PRETTY BADLY IN THE HOUSTON SERIES. IT’S NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE’RE GOING TO COME OUT REBOUNDING THIS TEAM ALTHOUGH WE DID. BUT WE CAN TRY TO CUT THAT BACK SOME. YOU KNOW THAT’S NOT LET THAT BE A STAPLE. AND WE’RE TRYING TO OUTPLAY THE REBOUNDING REBOUNDING EDGE. SO YOU KNOW THE 18 OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS WAS HUGE. GOT SOME BIG ONES. BUT IN SAYING THAT THEY MISSED A LOT OF SHOTS. AND IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE’RE NOT GIVING UP OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS RUDY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB STARTING THAT GAME GETTING OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS. AND WE WERE ABLE TO CLEAN IT UP A BIT AS THE GAME WENT ON. BUT RUDY’S A GREAT OFFENSIVE REBOUNDER, HAS BEEN HIS WHOLE CAREER. HE SHOWED THAT A LOT IN THAT LAKER SERIES. SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO TARGET FOCUS IN ON. BUT IT’S A COMPLETE TEAM EFFORT, MAN. YOU KNOW IT’S TOUGH TO BOX OUT RUDY AND GO GET THE BALL. SO OUR GUARDS DID A GREAT JOB OF COMING BACK AND CLEANING UP THOSE REBOUNDS. AND THEN IT ALLOWED US TO GET OUT AND RUN. >> YOU HAD FOUR THREE POINTERS. HOW MUCH WERE YOU CHANNELING STEPH TONIGHT? >> NO I DON’T PUT THAT ON ME. I JUST WANTED TO COME OUT, BE AGGRESSIVE AND TAKE OPEN SHOTS. YOU KNOW I MISSED THE FIRST ONE, WHICH FELT VERY GOOD. IN THE SECOND ONE WENT I SHOT THE PICK AND POP THREE. I WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, THAT ONE WENT IN, I’M GONNA KEEP IT ROLLING. SO IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THE BALL GO THROUGH THE HOLE. BUT YOU KNOW I THINK. I WAS I ENJOYED THE DEFENSIVE END MORE STILL. >> YOU STEVE SAID HE’S OPERATING AS IF HE’S GOING TO GAME PLAN WITHOUT STEPH FOR GAME TWO BECAUSE OF THE TRICKY NATURE OF A HAMSTRING. HOW MUCH FALLS ON YOUR SHOULDERS FOR PLAYMAKING? YOU HAD 18 AND SIX TONIGHT. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO EVEN MORE? DOES YOUR ROLE CHANGE AT ALL OFFENSIVELY WITHOUT STEPH? >> I THINK YOU KNOW I HAVE FOUR TURNOVERS AGAIN TONIGHT. SO I THINK JUST TAKING BETTER CARE OF THE BALL BECAUSE YOUR MARGIN FOR ERROR SHRINKS DRAMATICALLY WITHOUT STEPH. AND SO WE’LL SEE WHAT COACH HAS IN STORE. I’M NOT GOING TO COME OUT AND BE LIKE, MAN, I NEED TO BE STEPH. LIKE I CAN’T DO THAT. BUT YOU KNOW I MAY HAVE TO HANDLE A LITTLE MORE. WE’LL SEE. BUT JUST PLAY MY ROLE PLAY. PLAY THE GAME, HONOR THE GAME PLAN THAT COACH GIVES US. IF THAT’S ME MAKING MORE PLAYS, THEN I’LL TRY TO DO THAT. BUT WE GOT JIMMY BUTLER STILL, WHO IS INCREDIBLE AT MAKING PLAYS FOR PEOPLE. SO WE’LL JUST COLLECTIVELY CONTINUE TO MOVE THE BALL, TRY TO FIND OPEN GUYS AND TRY TO MAKE THE RIGHT PLAYS. >> WE’VE ALL SEEN THE JIMMY BUDDY DYNAMIC AND THEY’RE BOTH NEW TO THE TEAM. THEY’RE JUST JOKING AS LAUGHTER. BUT WHAT IS THERE A COMPETITIVE THING WITH BOTH THOSE GUYS THAT YOU SEE AND YOU FEEL BEYOND THE LAUGHTER? OR IS THE LAUGHTER PART OF ALL THAT? >> IT’S A PART OF IT. BUT THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE RELATIONSHIP. Y’ALL DON’T GET TO SEE EVERYTHING, BUT THERE’S TIMES WHERE THEY REALLY GO AT IT. THAT’S JUST THE NATURE OF THE GAME WE PLAY. THEY WENT AT IT IN THE HUDDLE TODAY. BUT IT’S GREAT. YOU KNOW, YOU LOVE TO SEE GUYS ENGAGED AND, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATING BACK AND FORTH TO EACH OTHER. BUT THEY HAVE A GREAT DYNAMIC. BOTH OF THEM PLAYING GREAT BASKETBALL FOR US IS TWO GREAT ADDITIONS TO THIS TEAM THIS YEAR. >> DRAYMOND YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW YOUR ROLE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT WITHOUT STEPH. HOW MUCH DIFFERENT IS THE OFFENSE WITHOUT STEPH. BECAUSE BECAUSE STEVE’S TALKED SO MUCH ABOUT JIMMY GIVES YOU ANOTHER WHOLE SORT OF IDENTITY. HOW MUCH DO YOU SORT OF LEAN INTO THAT NOW IF STEPH CAN’T PLAY FOR A. >> WHILE I HAVE TO, BUT WE KNOW WHAT JIMMY’S CAPABLE OF. JIMMY’S CAPABLE OF CARRYING THE TEAM. HE CARRIED THE TEAM TO THE FINALS TWICE, SO WE WON’T PANIC. WE’LL WE’LL WE’LL FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANS. WE HAVE THE BEST COACHING STAFF IN THE NBA. WE KNOW THEY’LL PUT US IN A GOOD SPOT AND LET US KNOW WHAT OUR OFFENSE LOOKS LIKE WITHOUT STEPH, IF WE HAVE TO GO ON WITHOUT THEM. BUT WE GOT FULL CONFIDENCE IN THE GUYS THAT ARE ON THIS TEAM THAT WE CAN MAKE PLAYS, WE CAN MAKE SHOTS AND WE KNOW WE GOT A GUY THAT CAN MAKE THAT FIRST DOMINO FALL AND JIMMY. SO WE WE’LL BE ALL RIGHT. >> STEVE SAID YOU GUYS REALLY NEED A DAY AND HE’S GOING TO GIVE YOU A DAY TOMORROW. I’M JUST WONDERING, AFTER A PRETTY GRUELING SEVEN GAME SERIES, HOW HOW DID EVERYTHING FEEL TODAY FOR YOU AND HOW MUCH DO YOU GUYS NEED THE DAY OFF? >> YOU SEE ME IN THE FIRST HALF, YOU SAW ME BOUNCING TO THAT PICK AND POP THREE, I FELT. THIS IS WHAT I TRAINED FOR. YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE ALL TRAIN FOR, TO GET IN THESE SITUATIONS. THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THE NBA IS YOU PLAY BAC TO BACKS ALL YEAR, SO GETTING ONE DAY OF REST IS PLENTY. ANYTIME YOU CAN GET A DAY, IT’S ALWAYS GREAT FOR THE RECOVERY. SO I THINK WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE STAFF AND THEY TAUGHT ME. BUT THIS TEAM, EVERYONE, SO MUCH ABOUT YOUR BODY AND RECOVERY AND HOW TO EXPEDITE THAT PROCESS. AND SO WE FOLLOWED THEIR LEAD LED BY RICK. BUT BUT YOU KNOW THE PERFORMANCE LED BY PT. AND JUST TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE RECOVERY TACTICS THAT WE CAN. BUT I FELT INCREDIBLE GOING OUT THERE TONIGHT. >> AS SOMEONE WHO’S BEEN THROUGH THIS A LOT, WHAT IS IT LIKE WATCHING SOME OF THESE GUYS GET THEIR FIRST LIKE REAL HIGH PRESSURE, HIGH STAKES PLAYOFF MOMENTS? I KNOW YOU’RE WITNESSING THEM KIND OF GO THROUGH IT. WHAT IS THAT LIKE TO WATCH? >> IT’S GREAT. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT TAKES YOU BACK TO THOSE MOMENTS WHEN IT WAS YOUR FIRST TIME. YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WHEN I’VE HAD THE ABSOLUTE HONOR AND SOME LUCK TO WIN FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND THE FIRST ONE WAS INCREDIBLE. THE EVERYONE AFTER THAT THE MOST JOY, OR YOU GET THE MOST JOY OUT OF WATCHING THE GUYS THAT WON IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR REACTION, BECAUSE IT JUST TAKE YOU BACK TO THAT MOMENT AND WATCHING THESE GUYS GO THROUGH THEIR KIND OF FIRST TEST IN THESE PLAYOFFS IS GREAT BECAUSE YOU SEE WHO STANDS UP, WHO STRUGGLES A LITTLE BIT. BUT AS A LEADER, IT’S FUN BECAUSE YOU GET TO COACH THOSE GUYS THROUGH IT. YOU GET TO GRAB THEIR HAND AND WALK THEM THROUGH. YOU GET TO BOOST THEIR CONFIDENCE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY’RE HAVING A ROUGH STRETCH. AND SO IT’S ALWAYS A TREAT WATCHING GUYS GO THROUGH IT THEIR FIRST TIME. BUT IT’S ON US MYSELF JIMMY YOU KNOW STEPH DOWN. BUT LOONEY GUYS WHO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE TO COACH THEM UP AND DRAG THEM THROUGH IT. >> HOW CRAZY IS IT THAT PAT SPENCER COULD STEP INTO A PLAYOFF GAME AND PLAY LIKE THAT? >> PAT IS A DAMN GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER AND I KNOW HE DON’T LOOK LIKE IT. YOU KNOW, HE DON’T JUST JUMP OFF THE PAGE AT YOU WHEN YOU SEE HIM IN THE BASKETBALL JERSEY. I DON’T THINK THE NUMBER 61 HELPS HIM, BUT HE IS. HE’S ONE OF THE TOUGHEST GUYS ON THIS TEAM. THAT INCLUDES MYSELF. THAT INCLUDES JIMMY. PAT SPENCER IS TOUGH AS NAILS AND YOU KNOW HE DON’T ALWAYS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY. BUT EVERY TIME HE GET THE OPPORTUNITY, HE’S READY. AND I THINK ONE THING THAT HE DOES IS HE’S SO BIG FOR THIS TEAM. HE’S A VOICE ON THE BENCH FOR US, BUT HE’S SELFLESS. AND WHEN YOU HAVE GUYS THAT EITHER PLAY LOW MINUTES OR GUYS COMING BACK FROM INJURY, HE GOES AND PLAYS IN THOSE GAMES. HE DROPPED ME OFF SO BAD WHEN I WAS COMING BACK FROM MY CALF INJURY. IT WAS EMBARRASSING. I WENT OUT THERE THINKING, I’M ABOUT TO WIN GAMES AND I PRIDE MYSELF ON WINNING THOSE GAMES AND I COULDN’T GET A WIN. I GOT ONE WIN, BUT I COULDN’T LIKE WIN. AND HE WAS TALKING CRAZY TO ME AND I COULDN’T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I WAS MAD AS HELL, BUT THAT IS PAT. AND HE BRINGS THAT SAME ENERGY EVERY SINGLE DAY. HE WORKS EXTREMELY HARD, EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT, AND HE HAS A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER. HE DOESN’T BACK DOWN FROM ANYONE. AND YOU KNOW, HE’S BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO THIS TEAM, A GOOD FIND BY OUR STAFF. I THINK HE’LL BE AROUND HERE FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE HE JUST ADDS WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TEAM. WE’RE LUCKY TO HAVE HIM BECAUSE HE FROM DEMEANOR OFF THE COURT, HE’S ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT HE’S HE’S ALWAYS GROUPED IN WITH YOUNG GUYS. BUT I THINK PAT’S LIKE 27, 28. HE’S LIVED SOME LIFE. AND SO IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE KIND OF AN ELDER STATESMAN IN THERE WITH THE YOUNG GUYS. AND HE’S NOT AN ELDER STATESMAN AS FAR AS NBA EXPERIENCE GOES. BUT LIFE EXPERIENCE AND SMART AS HELL. SO YOU INCORPORATE HIM WITH THEM YOUNG GUYS. AND EVEN WHEN WE’RE NOT WITH THEM, THEY’RE STILL LEARNING. BECAUSE YOU GOT A GUY LIKE THAT WHO’S EARNED THE RESPECT. LIKE IT’S NOT LIKE, OH MAN, THAT’S PAT. THEY DON’T LISTEN. NO, HE HAS EVERYBODY HERE. AND IT’S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE HIM GET THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND PRODUCE. >> DRAYMOND. WHAT’S THE MOOD OF THE TEAM RIGHT NOW I CAN IMAGINE COMING OUT THERE. IT’S LIKE AN ADRENALINE HIGH. YOU WIN A GAME ON THE ROAD A SECOND STRAIGHT WIN. YOU GO IN THE LOCKER ROOM. I’M GUESSING REALITY SETS IN ABOUT HOW HARD THE NEXT FEW GAMES ARE GOING TO BE. >> THAT ONE WAS HARD. THEY ALL ARE HARD GAMES TO WIN. OBVIOUSLY THINGS GET TOUGHER IF WE GOT TO GO FORWARD WITHOUT STEPH, BUT IT’S THE SAME MISSION. YOU KNOW, WE’RE TRYING TO KEEP THIS THING GOING, WIN AS MANY GAMES AS WE CAN. SO YOU KNOW I’M NOT GOING TO LET THAT REALITY SET IN RIGHT NOW. WE’LL START FIGURING THAT OUT TOMORROW. I’M GONNA ENJOY THIS WIN TONIGHT. REST UP RECOVER AND WE’LL GET BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I THINK WE GOT THE BEST COACHING STAFF IN THE

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