Draymond Green’s Sensational Defense Gets Ultimate Praise from Kawhi Leonard and Steve Kerr

Kawhi Leonard spoke highly of Draymond Green after the Golden State Warriors veteran put the clamps on him on Wednesday night.

Draymond Green’s Sensational Defense Gets Ultimate Praise from Kawhi Leonard and Steve Kerr

Warriors star Draymond Green (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Draymond Green showcased elite defensive skills, shutting down Kawhi Leonard in a crucial game.
  • Kawhi Leonard praised Green as a "Hall of Fame defender" after the Warriors' comeback victory.
  • Steve Kerr called Green the best defender he has ever seen, highlighting his impact on the game plan.

Draymond Green may not be the player he once was, but he showed everyone why he is one of the best defenders in the game as he shut down Kawhi Leonard in the final stretches of a high-octane game. The Golden State Warriors pulled off a 13-point comeback in the fourth quarter to register a 126-121 victory in the Play-In game at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday night.

After the game, Leonard heaped praise on Green after his defensive masterclass.

Hall of Fame defender. It was hard to even get shots up.

Kawhi Leonard in his post-match press conference

Draymond Green is highly regarded for his defensive prowess and has been an instrumental player during the Warriors’ championship runs. While he does have his limitations on the offensive end, as he scored just seven points, he had four steals to his name. Two of those steals came at crunch time when he locked up Kawhi Leonard.

Green held Leonard to just 2 points on 1-for-2 shooting in the final three minutes of the match, proving that he’s still got it in Year 14. The Warriors mounted a serious comeback after trailing 98-85 in the final quarter. Stephen Curry and Al Horford led the comeback on the offensive end, while Green was a defensive wall with his relentless on-ball pressure and active hands.

The Warriors have been a shell of themselves ever since Jimmy Butler was ruled out for the season after tearing his ACL in January. They are far from title contenders and may reach the first round of the playoffs at best. However, the duo of Curry and Green showed the NBA world what they are made of with their resilience, grit, and championship pedigree.

Draymond Green pays respect to Kawhi Leonard after Play-In showdown

Entering the play-in tournament, both sides were in contrasting forms. The Warriors had lost seven of their last eight games. In fact, the Clippers took down the Warriors without Kawhi Leonard in the final game of the regular season.

Following Leonard’s praise, Green added that Leonard’s quiet nature only makes his adulation that much more meaningful.

To hear one of the greats say that about me…that’s special. That’s why you do it. You want respect from your peers. That guy took a defensive player of the year award away from me…he’s a man of few words. I don’t think there’s a player in the NBA that does not respect Kawhi Leonard.

Draymond Green on Kawhi Leonard

It was a huge moment of respect from both players. Leonard is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year; hence, the forward knows a thing or two about elite defense. Green was grateful that a player of Leonard’s caliber praised him after his impressive performance.

It was a game that pitted Curry and Leonard against one another. The last time the two superstars faced each other in the postseason was in the 2019 NBA Finals. Leonard helped the Toronto Raptors claim the championship in six games and was named the Finals MVP. Unfortunately, he could not pull it off on Wednesday night.

Steve Kerr on Draymond Green’s defensive impact

It has not been a great campaign for the Warriors. Injuries and inconsistency in form played a significant role in their subpar season. However with players like Green and Curry and a head coach like Steve Kerr leading the way, anything is possible.

Steve Kerr and Draymond Green
Steve Kerr (Left) and Draymond Green (Right) (Image credits – San Fransisco Chronicles)

Following the impressive win, Kerr credited the former Defensive Player of the Year for his defensive impact.

Dre’s defense, he’s the best defender I’ve ever seen in my life. Draymond obviously is the guy who allows for that game plan to work.

Steve Kerr in his post-match press conference

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

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