NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: ROCKETS VS WARRIORS

May 2, 2025

Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors

Game 6 - Postgame Media Conference

Rockets 115 - Warriors 107

Q. Draymond, how much disappointment is there in the locker room or in your mind not being able to take care of this at home?

DRAYMOND GREEN: It's a little frustrating. You get the opportunity to close out at home, want to do it. Nonetheless, it's a seven-game series. We know we can win there. Got to go get the win.

Q. You know you can win there. Obviously you feel you can win. What do you need to do on the road to make sure you come out of this one with a win?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Get loose balls. I think they probably had 20 points off of broken plays and getting loose balls and kicking out for threes. Get loose balls and we'll defend them way better.

In order to beat this team, you got to make second and third efforts. Last two games we have not done that.

Q. Do you think that's due to fatigue or just a lack of effort?

DRAYMOND GREEN: It can be due to whatever. The reality is the person who wants the ball more will get it. Right now seems like they want it more.

Q. There were times in this game you could see you and Pods looked like you were frustrated. How much of the frustration was based on what you guys were not doing and with what they were doing?

DRAYMOND GREEN: It's all of what we're not doing, which is fighting to come up with the loose balls when they're out there. It's all what we're not doing.

Q. Is that a very correctable thing, you think?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Absolutely.

Q. You played in five Game 7s. How is the vibe different? What's the challenge after two disappointing losses? Season is on the line in 48 hours.

DRAYMOND GREEN: Yeah, you move faster through losses. They don't matter. A Game 7 is a Game 7. I think anytime you have the opportunity to play in Game 7, it's fun, it's exciting. It's for all the marbles, so...

Move on. We've moved on. Learn from what we did wrong. It's kind of obvious what we did wrong. Get ready for the game. I think Game 7s are fun.

Q. You're blaming the loss on some of the effort stuff that didn't go right. You missed 14 of your first 15 to start the fourth. What is so difficult offensively, particularly when they're going big and go to a zone?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I think it was less about the zone and more about we started off the fourth quarter with a two-point game and we gave up a four-point play. It's just like you lose the life, you know?

Yeah, got to give them some credit. They're doing a great job defensively. There's why they're the 2 seed. It's because they have a great defense.

But in saying that, we can't give up a four-point play in a two-point game off one pass ahead. That's crazy. Yeah, they're doing a great job defensively. But I thought it was also caused by kind of just losing the life after that.

Q. In your view, what happened on that play?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I don't know. I haven't seen a replay of it. I'm not sure.

I mean, obviously we didn't get matched up. Fred has 17 threes in three games. He's wide open coming out of a timeout. That's crazy.

Q. What are you noticing with the way you're defending him? What problems are emerging when he has the ball?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I think he's just comfortable. He's comfortable. He's getting what he wants to get to. Somehow you got to break that up. But he's too comfortable.

Q. You've been in a lot of big games, Game 7s. On the road, what is the difference and key to getting off to a good start?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Just got to meet force with force, execute the game plan. Everybody will be excited. It will be hyped in there. It will be loud. Then the game starts and there's just basketball. You got to execute your game plan, stay the course.

They're going to make runs. Stay the course. Continue to fight. But got to execute.

Q. How do you see Adams moving out there and the impact he's having on the game?

DRAYMOND GREEN: He's having a great impact. He's doing a great job on the offensive glass. He's doing a great job defensively.

I just wish we could get a three-second call. You stand in the paint, whole possession, it's hard to box out. He's strong as hell, so... Being outweighed by, what, 40, 50 pounds, six inches, standing in the paint, it's tough to box him out, so...

Hopefully we'll get a three-second call next game. But he's doing incredible.

Q. Obviously everything has to be on the table for Game 7. Kerr said there's 100% chance playing Jonathan. Do you think he would be something interesting to see in a Game 7?

DRAYMOND GREEN: Yeah, he cut out for it. He cut out for whatever we throw at him. He built right, the right way, for that. 1000%.

Q. If any of your younger teammates asked you for advice about how to approach a Game 7, what would you tell them?

DRAYMOND GREEN: I'm tell my younger players that, because they got younger players, and I don't need them getting my advice (smiling).

Q. As you guys were getting ready for this series, Fred hadn't shot the three ball well mostly all season. Are you surprised at all by how well he's shot these last few games?

DRAYMOND GREEN: No, I'm not surprised one bit. Fred VanVleet is the reason we lost to Toronto in the Finals. We know what he's capable of. I'm not surprised at all.

Q. Gregg Popovich transitioning...

DRAYMOND GREEN: Oh, man, that is my guy. I'm sorry I cut you off, but wow. Coach Pop is incredible. None of us knew when that day would come that he hang 'em up.

But it sucks to see him go. You love running on court, seeing him on the sideline. I had the ultimate honor of playing for him, winning a gold medal. It meant so much to him. He has a military background, obviously. He just meant so much.

Wow, he's one of the most incredible human beings. You get this, like, wall that everyone sees. You know how everyone says Steven Adams is a gentle giant. That's Pop. You got this wall. You ask a dumb question, he going to crush you. It just appears as if he's this mean old man. And he is the complete opposite. Like complete opposite. The nicest person you ever want to be around. He cares about people so much. I was lucky enough and honored to have the opportunity to spend a summer with him and play for him.

I gave him my shoes from the gold medal game. He wore them to the first game we played them (smiling). Every hug since then has meant so much to me. Just to go over to the sideline and hug him.

To see him leave this game from the sideline... Obviously they say he'll be the president, but that does nothing for me.

It sucked playing against the Spurs this year and look over and not see him there. To know that I'll never get that opportunity again. I just wish I had one last time to go hug him on the sideline before a game.

I know I sound like he's dead. He's not. But he's meant so much to this league. He means so much to me. Job well done. Well-deserved retirement. He hope he enjoys the hell out of it. Clearly he's not going far because he's going to stay working in basketball, but...

Man, just everything he's meant to this game. Incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to play for him.

Q. The last Game 7 you had, Steph scored 50 points. How do you see him responding to that kind of pressure when everyone is looking to him to do something special?

DRAYMOND GREEN: We look to him to do something special every night for the last 13 years I've been here. I don't think it's any different.