Warriors’ Draymond Green Says Steve Kerr ‘Didn’t Need’ to Talk to Him About Benching

Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond
Green said he didn’t need an explanation from head coach Steve Kerr
about why he was benched for a portion of the fourth quarter in the
team’s Game 4 107-97 win over the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

The Warriors’ defensive stalwart
explained on his Draymond Green Show podcast he doesn’t believe
coaches should have to tell a player why they’re sticking with a
different lineup that’s working, especially in the NBA Finals with
the Dubs trying to avoid a 3-1 series deficit:

“I’ve been struggling, as we all can
see. Thought I played a better game tonight, overall game but
definitely was struggling from the field, struggling on offensive
end. And I be shocked when teams feel like, ‘Aw man, something is
working for us but we have to go back to this because of a resume,
because of a contract, because of whatever reason people feel they
need to go back.’ This is the playoffs. I don’t get caught up in—as
long as we win the game…you can throw whoever out there. As long as
we win, I really don’t care. And so the whole notion of like, that
you have to check in with certain guys if you’re going to take them
out the game or if you think it’s better for the team. I think that’s
ridiculous. I watch teams every year in the playoffs not sub guys
that they know they should sub, and they lose. And so the fact that,
you know, Steve went away from me for a little while, was I pissed
off and frustrated? Absolutely. There’s seven minutes to go in an
extremely important game. You know, you can’t go down 3-1, you don’t
want to go down 3-1, and I’m coming out of the game. I was livid. But
I credit my teammates.”

This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

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