How Draymond Green’s apology at team dinner galvanized Warriors ahead of Game 7

HOUSTON As the Warriors flew back to Texas and prepared for Sunday s Contest supremacy over the Rockets Draymond Green spent the hours in between matchups deeply remorseful I spent the last two days embarrassed at what I gave to the contest what I gave the world Green recalled at the podium I was embarrassed and I ve been dying since the last tournament ended to get out on the floor and prove who I am The Warriors forward is the group s greatest defensive athlete anchoring a unit that stifled the Rockets in a - conquest that sent Golden State to the second round on Sunday He is also the squad s emotional heartbeat a mercurial figure whose fiery personality can keep his teammates focused on the task at hand during one event and contribute to a Warriors meltdown with technical and flagrant fouls in another And during Contest which saw Golden State lose - his worst traits were on full display He had an early flagrant foul on Jalen Green setting the tone for an awful night the latest in a long line of postseason transgressions by the challenge s most of notable repeat offender Green had two flagrant fouls during the series four technical fouls including one in Contest and was the target of Expletive you Draymond chants in Houston Green was so bothered by what unfolded that he had heart-to-heart conversations with his wife his close friends his barber and even his college coach Tom Izzo After hours of reflection and discussion Green gathered his teammates during the Warriors Saturday night dinner and fessed up You can t be a leader and not be accountable Green explained You call other guys out well when their expletive stinks you better say when yours does too Houston Rockets Alperen Sengun goes up for a shot as Golden State Warriors Draymond Green defends during the second half of Contest of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Sunday May in Houston AP Photo Ashley Landis Buddy Hield commented the emotional speech gave him chills Hield s good friend Jimmy Butler noted the group took his apology and message to heart with Butler noting that Green wasn t the only one who needed to improve his leadership I wasn t being who I was in a sense of pumping confidence into my guys Butler noted I wasn t doing that for the first six games I required to make sure I was going to show that everything was going fine Insufficient athletes know Green better than longtime Hall of Fame teammate Steph Curry The point guard appreciated Green s candor Related Articles Kurtenbach Surprise The old battered Warriors vanquished the Rockets again Photos Buddy Hield leads Golden State Warriors past Houston Rockets in playoff Event NBA playoffs Warriors vs Timberwolves series schedule TV information Warriors eliminate Rockets in Contest behind Hield s hot start Curry and Butler s closing touch Legendary Syracuse zone guru Jim Boeheim explains why Rockets system is encounter changer vs Warriors It was a level of awareness that matters at this stage of our careers Curry explained Draymond started with himself talking about having a level of poise and composure Green did more than just talk about changing He altered his pregame routine going to the spa meditating and switching out soundtracks to feature more mellow tunes I listened to Tupac Shakur s Check Out Time on the way to the contest the other day and that was the exact mindset I had going into that tournament Green announced I craved to change it up currently to Brent Faiyaz SZA and s R B Altogether changed it up And during morning shootaround Green and coach Steve Kerr had what the athlete deemed one of the better conversations the two had ever engaged in one that Green declared he will remember for the rest of his life I think his emotional stability tonight just being poised from the start I thought it set a great tone Kerr commented Green might have dropped Tupac from the rotation but he was still a Hellrazor on the floor Green scored points had five rebounds dished out four assists and swatted two blocks as the Warriors took down the Rockets Up next is Minnesota a group with known Green adversaries in Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards Even against longtime antagonists Green disclosed his newfound sense of zen is here to stay in a series that starts on Tuesday I have to keep it similar for my guys forget everybody else Green disclosed I need to be locked in and find that balance finding that line and not navigating it It is central for me and this association and I gave them my word and I ll continue to do that