Draymond Green Nearly Pulled Off a ‘Flu Game’ Against Clippers, Reveals Insider

Draymond Green led the Warriors to a win despite battling a reported illness.

Draymond Green Nearly Pulled Off a ‘Flu Game’ Against Clippers, Reveals Insider

Draymond Green (Image credits - Firstsportz)

Draymond Green came up with one of his best performances in recent years against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The veteran turned back the clock as he led the Warriors to a 126-121 victory at the Intuit Dome in their first game of the Play-In Tournament.

NBA Insider Shams Charania reported that Green had been playing with an illness on Wednesday night.

Team sources told me Draymond Green was sick, he was throwing up, puking all over the place in pregame, sideline in the back area by the locker room. You could tell when the game was starting, his energy level looked a little low.

Shams Charania on NBA Today

There was a lot of hype surrounding the Warriors-Clippers matchup. It pitted two superstars, Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard, against one another. It was Curry who put on a show, scoring 35 points as he exploded in the fourth quarter. But none of it would be possible without the defensive masterclass of Draymond Green.

It is remarkable that Green was able to play the way he did while being sick. He may not have contributed much to the points total, but the way he put the clamps on Leonard in the final stretches of the game was staggering. He forced Leonard to commit two turnovers and helped the Warriors mount a 13-point comeback in the fourth quarter. His defensive performance was lauded by Leonard himself.

With one day to rest, the Warriors will be hoping that the former Defensive Player of the Year recovers to his fullest for their next game against the Phoenix Suns. Despite the reported sickness, Green is not listed on the Warriors’ injury report.

Stephen Curry confirms Draymond Green was battling the flu

It looks like Draymond Green had his iconic “flu game” against the Clippers. It could not come at a better time, as the stakes could not be any higher. The Warriors continue to be shorthanded after season-ending injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. The two injuries have seriously dented their ambitions of a deep playoff run.

While Green did not confirm his illness, it was confirmed by Curry after the game.

You know Kawhi is gonna get his numbers but he (Green) just made it hard on him all night. The energy he brought for us the whole night. He’s battling a cold, cough and every time we were checking on him and he’s just fighting through.

Stephen Curry on NBA On Prime

While Green did not have a big night offensively, as he had just seven points and nine assists to his name, he did have four steals. He held Leonard to just two points on 1-for-2 shooting in the final three minutes of the match.

Kristaps Porzingis describes Draymond Green as a teammate

The Warriors’ dynasty never happens without Draymond Green. After Stephen Curry, Green has arguably been the most important player during their dominance. He has never been regarded for his offensive skillset, but he does bring in the defensive tenacity and leadership to the team.

Draymond Green
Draymond Green (Image credits – Sky Sports)

Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis heaped praise on Green after his impressive performance.

He is who he is, he’s a force of nature. His personality, he doesn’t care what people think about him and you gotta love to see that. He’s a really great teammate, wants to win, so experienced. I can see how important he is for this organization.

Kristaps Porzingis in his post-match press conference

The Warriors take on the Phoenix Suns in the final round of the Play-In Tournament at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Friday night. The winner will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

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