With Kevin Durant injured, Warriors need peak Draymond Green now more than ever

With Kevin Durant done for the rest of Game 5 after limping off the court in the third quarter with a calf strain, Warriors forward Draymond Green reminded us why he was an NBA champion before Durant ever donned a Golden State uniform.

In a sequence that only he could make endearing, Green drew a charge on Rockets guard Chris Paul, earned a technical foul for bumping Paul as he popped up and drilled a 3-pointer directly in front of Houston's bench on the next possession.

MORE: Durant out for Rockets series, then what?

✅ Draw a charge
✅ Give up a tech
✅ Drain a triple

Just another minute in the life of Draymond Green.pic.twitter.com/Q6t18THN4w

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 9, 2019

"It was a huge time of the game," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said when asked about the sequence. "Draymond gets the technical and then hits the three and brings the house down. It pretty much summarizes Draymond in a nutshell right there. It’s who he is. He’s an unbelievable competitor. He makes big shots when we need him too, makes big plays and gets the crowd into it."

This past regular season was a difficult one for Green. His future as a Warrior was questioned. His 7.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game were his lowest averages since the 2013-14 season. He shot 44.5 percent from the field and an abysmal 28.5 percent from 3-point range. Opponents openly dared him to shoot. His relatively small stature for a big man and slight drop in speed and athleticism became talking points. Had Green lost that step that made him one of the league's best defenders?

Green certainly didn’t help himself in November when he publicly challenged Durant and his commitment to his teammates moving forward. His brash nature rubs opponents and fans alike the wrong way. The Warriors hadn't dealt with this kind of inner turmoil before.

But Green’s postseason has shown everyone what makes him so valuable. He’s returned to the relentless, attacking player that we’ve all become accustomed to seeing during this incredible Golden State run. He may not be the Warriors' best player, but he just may be their most indispensable.

During these playoffs, Green is averaging 13.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. In the Warriors' first-round matchup, the Clippers dared him to shoot. They often left him unguarded at the top of the key. Green, returning to the confident playmaker he’s been during his seven NBA seasons, attacked the rim and used his uncanny vision to find teammates. At times, he even found the jumper he had been lacking during the regular season.

The Houston series has brought out the best in Green. He’s a team-best plus-37 for the series. In Wednesday night’s swing game, Green was plus-12, and the Warriors were outscored by seven points when he was on the bench.

"I’m paid to play this way during the playoffs," Green said. "My teammates expect me to play this way during the playoffs. As much as you want to get out here and play well for yourself, I don’t want to let these guys down. It’s on me to get out there and do my job to the best of my ability."

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Green’s importance can’t be overstated. Defensively, he’s set the tone for the past five years. Offensively, Green is more than willing to sacrifice his shots — he may even prefer it — so that Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson can keep rolling.

For a period of time during the regular season, this version of Green was absent. Maybe it was due to him being out of shape — Green reportedly dropped 23 pounds before the playoffs. Or maybe it can be chalked up to boredom with the regular season, a long slog of 82 games before the ones that truly matter.

That's all in the past now, though. Green is back to his trash-talking, opponent-baiting self.

With Durant out for the remainder of the second round (and likely longer), the Warriors will need to switch tactics. They no longer have the option of giving the ball to the best isolation player in the game when things get stagnant on the offensive side.

The struggles Curry and Thompson have experienced will no longer be hidden by Durant’s brilliance. The time has come for the "Splash Brothers" to return. But their unchallenged leader must continue to be the Draymond Green that we have seen for so many postseasons.

"He’s always been our emotional engine," Kerr said of Green. "He’s the guy who just gets things going. He stirs the pot. He’s right in the thick of everything constantly."

There’s always the chance that Green allows his emotions to get the best of him. Look no further than that technical foul. The outbursts have hurt Golden State before.

But Green’s edge is necessary, and it makes him and the Warriors great. As Kerr said, it’s just who he is — and it's who he needs to be now more than ever.