Draymond Green knew he had to get into better shape if he wanted to help key another deep playoff run for the Warriors.
Golden State general manager Bob Myers told the All-Star forward he needed to drop 25 pounds midseason and Green was completely on board with the idea.
"Bob said, 'If we're going to win a championship, you have to get in shape,'" Green said in an extensive profile done by ESPN. "I was like, 'Oh, I know. I'm fat as hell right now. Give me two weeks. It will probably take 10 days, but give me two weeks for sure and I'll be good.
"'My birthday is March 4, so I want to enjoy my birthday, but right after, on March 10, my diet starts.'"
Green dropped the weight and looked like a new man this postseason especially after the injury to Kevin Durant in the Western Conference semifinals.
The 29-year-old was key to the Warriors' win in that series and especially so in their sweep of the Trail Blazers in the conference finals. He was active all over the floor once again and pushed the pace repeatedly which helped Golden State not only come back from multiple halftime deficits but also wear down Portland as each game wore on.
Green knew he had to change something and he did. The same could be said for his intensity on the court which has oftentimes gotten in the way of his success.
Most famously, Green's technical foul in the NBA Finals in 2016 cost him a game and possibly the series for the Warriors as Golden State ultimately gave up a 3-1 lead in a loss to the Cavaliers.
The forward spoke of an instance in Game 2 of this year's NBA Finals in which he may have received a technical foul in the past. On the play in question, he was called for a foul on Toronto's Pascal Siakam which he didn't believe he committed and was subsequently taunted by the rapper Drake on the sideline.
In the past he may have freaked out and received a technical foul, but this time he kept his composure. No technical foul was called and the Warriors played on and ultimately won. Plays like this are showing an increased maturity that has driven his success in the last few months and once again has Golden State in position to win a title.
"It's all about, 'Is (the fire) working for me or is it working against me?'" Green said. "When I'm channeling it to work for me, I think I'm one of the baddest motherf— on the planet. When it gets the best of me, I'm not so good."