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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 30: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after making a three-point shot against the Detroit Pistons in the first half at Chase Center on January 30, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors have been one of the best defensive teams all season long. Currently, they have the 10th-best defense in the NBA, which is lower than they have been in a while. Still, a big reason why the Warriors have been so good is because of Draymond Green.
Green’s offensive skills have declined over the last few years, but he is still one of the best defensive players in the league. His ability to guard every position on the court is one of the biggest reasons why they were able to win four titles.
Kendrick Perkins lobbed some criticisms at Green right after the All-Star break. Green did not take kindly to that and fired right back.
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green plays defense. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors Forward Draymond Green Fires Back at Kendrick Perkins
While speaking on the Draymond Green Show, Green made sure that Perkins knew he was a worse player than Green was.
“Going into the All-Star break, everybody’s like, ‘Oh my God, Draymond turned back the clock. Draymond played great.’ And then one game after the All-Star break, you have a rough game, and this guy goes, ‘I don’t know where his at at, but it ain’t on basketball.’ You’re not allowed to have a bad game anymore.”
Green then went off on Perkins’ ability as a player when he was in the league.
“We’ve seen you play, big fella. We got clips of your screen-setting. We got clips of your jump shots. Like, you played Big Perk. Careful man. We can start pulling clips now, Big Perk.”
At the end of his rant, he gave one more shot at Perkins about his play at the end of his career.
“But yeah, shout out to Big Perk, man. You played, big dog. I can promise you. Big Perk. I ain’t where you was at at the end of yours.”
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green shoots the ball. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Warriors Let the Trade Deadline Affect Them
Right before the trade deadline, the Warriors were in a lot of rumors. They were trying to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Bucks ended up keeping him. Green was rumored to be in a possible trade in order to bring Antetokounmpo in.
Green admitted that the talk affected him. It affected the whole team. Right now, the Warriors sit eighth in the Western Conference standings. Offense has been the biggest issue for the Warriors. They have just the 14th-ranked offense in the NBA.
Stephen Curry continues to nurse an injury, so the offense still won’t be at full capacity for a while. Until he returns, Golden State will have to rely on the defensive side of the court in order to get wins. They have the third-toughest schedule in the NBA.
With so many teams at the bottom trying to tank, the Warriors will likely be a play-in team. With Curry and Green on the roster, they still have two core players who can win big games.
Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano
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