Warriors' Draymond Green: 'I Don't Give a Damn' About Rockets Amid NBA Playoff Race
March 25, 2024
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green doesn't appear to be tracking the Houston Rockets' results in the race for the last playoff-in spot in the West.
"I don't give a damn about the Rockets," Green said Sunday when asked how much he is tracking Houston.
The Warriors, currently the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, dropped Sunday's game against the Timberwolves 114-110 in their second straight loss.
Meanwhile the Rockets, who have won eight straight games, are one game back of Golden State in the standings.
Green recorded 12 points and eight rebounds during the Warriors' Sunday loss to the Wolves.
When asked if he felt the Warriors should have won the game, Green answered, "for sure," per Sneaker Reporter.
Unlike Green, Warriors star Steph Curry admitted to keeping an eye on the standings. Curry led the Warriors with 31 points in the loss.
"Every game matters," Curry said Sunday, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. "We're inching closer to the other end of the standings."
Anthony Slater @anthonyVslaterSteph Curry: "The situation will define itself pretty clearly. It is in real time. Every game matters. We're inching closer to the other end of the standings. Nobody's gonna wave the white flag. If that means playing more minutes, I'll be ready to do that." <a href="https://t.co/om2Mm8hZal">pic.twitter.com/om2Mm8hZal</a>
Green blamed the team's loss on defensive breakdowns, which seemed to worsen whenever Stephen Curry was on the bench. The Warriors were outscored by 10 points in the 18 minutes they played without Curry.
Head coach Steve Kerr said after the loss that the Warriors "can't expect to just ride Steph" into the playoffs, per ESPN's Kendra Andrews.
"We've put the burden of this franchise on his shoulders for 15 years," Kerr said. "If you want to say that him playing 30 minutes instead of 32 is a difference in a win and a loss, I totally disagree with that."
Curry, however, said he would be willing to increase his playing minutes if necessary down the stretch.
Golden State is 4-6 in its last 10 games. If the Rockets' hot streak keeps up, the Warriors will need to improve on that record to still be sitting in the No. 10 spot come April.