Draymond Green’s emotional tightrope key for Warriors in NBA Finals Game 3

BOSTON (CBS SF) — There’s little doubt surrounding the impact Warriors star Draymond Green’s emotional edge has had on the NBA Finals. The question is will he push it too far in Wednesday night’s Game 3 and a refereeing crew led by Scott Foster.

After picking up a technical in the first half of Game 2, Green dangled on the edge of getting a second and being ejected from the contest. It’s a danger zone all to familiar to the Warriors emotional leader.

“He’s at his best when he’s passionate and emotional,” Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said. “I thought he played a great game the other night. He got the early tech, but he left the officials alone all night. The play is always going to be physical in the playoffs. Being physical is part of it. So the main thing is you have to leave the officials alone, and Draymond did a good job of that.”

Green’s passion is not surprising to Boston head coach Ime Udoka.

“When their team is struggling, he sets the tone for them,” he said. “That’s one of the ways he does it. But we embrace that. One of the best defensive teams, we like to impose our will, as well.”

When asked how he told his team to handle Green’s sometimes trash talking antics, Udoka responded:

“I say be who you are. If you want to ignore it, ignore it. If you engage, engage,” he said. “Do what you do. Be who you are. The main thing is to continue to stay composed.”

“With us, I don’t think it’s the talking as much as the physicality that they brought. That was noticeable at times. Talking about the first Milwaukee game, the adjustments Miami made were to be more physical. We know obviously that’s what Green does. Kind of bleeds over into the team.”

“For us it’s to be who you are. I told them if I was a player, who I was, I would probably get a double technical immediately. But that’s not everybody. Do what you do. Block it out or meet physicality with physicality.”

Green credits his emotional edge to growing up in the tough, blue collar neighborhoods of Saginaw. The southeastern Michigan community was once a auto manufacturing center but has fallen tough times. 

“There is an art to trash talking,” he said. “If you grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, it’s naturally given to you. For me personally, growing up the way I did, you can’t survive if you can’t talk on the court. You go out there quiet if you want to. You play as good as you want. If you’re quiet, they’re going to think you’re soft. They’re going to try to bully you. That’s just kind of the way I learned.”