© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Accountability is a message Draymond Green has reiterated over the past two seasons. In this historic run, as the Warriors dodge regular-season distractions and charge ahead for another deep playoff run, it’s natural for players and coaches to get complacent. The Warriors consistently trivialize regular-season wins, but they emphasize good habits.
Two weeks ago, the Warriors beat the Rockets, 106-104, in Houston. It was one of Golden State’s most complete, high-energy performances of the season.
After the game, Green credited everyone for their focus.
“I think everybody was locked in,” Green told reporters. “I think our team, our players did a better job, the locker room, our coaching staff was locked in. There’s always this notion of like players… The one thing we understand as a full unit is that everybody got to be locked in, and we all have our off days. Tonight we were all locked in.
“When you have the run we have had, there’s a tendency to relax. And like I said, that’s coaches, that’s players, that’s everybody. We kind of needed to get out of that state as a whole, and we did it tonight. There’s that human nature side of it that gets all of us, doesn’t matter if you’re on the floor, on the bench, in the front office, whatever it is. There’s that human nature side of all of it. Tonight we stepped up to the challenge.”
Three days later, Kerr was caught on camera as he was clearly frustrated with Green. The clip circulated throughout social media.
Did Steve Kerr just say
➖➖➖
“I’m so fu-king tired of Draymond’s
sh-t”. ??pic.twitter.com/kWN1D67mLg— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 11, 2019
Two days after the clip went viral, Green dismissed it as human nature.
“No, it don’t bother me,” Green said. “S— happens. It is what it is. I am sure there are plenty of times coaches are tired of players. There are times players are tired of coaches.”
The Warriors power forward joined KNBR’s Bob Fitzgerald Wednesday. Among the topics discussed was Green’s emphasis on holding everyone — from teammates to coaches to the front office — equally accountable.
“The team is in a great place,” Green said. “Obviously, the regular season is long, and we can kind of see that light at the end of the tunnel with the playoffs coming. But as far as Steve goes, we have a great relationship, and I am not afraid to call Steve out when he’s not at his best. And I 100 percent know Steve is not afraid to call me out when I am not at my best. And I think that’s important.
“So many times, people think, like, ‘Oh, it’s the coach. They are fun.’ No, they are human. And you always have to remember that human side of it. Just like players can get complacent, coaches can get complacent. Just like players can relax, coaches can relax. I think it’s important to say that, to kind of say that amongst the team, amongst everybody.”
There have been several instances of the Warriors clashing throughout the year. In each scenario, however, they have seemingly reconciled and moved on.
“We don’t take anything to heart,” Green said. “When Steve tell me I am not playing good, I am playing horrible, and it wasn’t that he wasn’t coaching well, but all of us relaxed. It’s like we are going into the game, it’s like, ‘Oh, we will win.’ That’s a natural thing, and it was just time to wake everyone up, not just players, but coaches as well.”