Sunday 19 May 2019 20:22, UK
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr credited Draymond Green with playing one of the 'best games' of his career in Saturday night's Western Conference Finals Game 3 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Green recorded the seventh postseason triple-double of his career as the Warriors overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to go 3-0 up and move to the brink of a fifth straight NBA Finals appearance.
The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year produced a dominant all-round display, which included 20 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists, four steals and a block.
"I don't even know what to say about Draymond," Kerr said after the 110-99 victory.
"He was like a wrecking ball out there. He was just destroying everything in his path.
"It's one of the best games I've ever seen Draymond play."
Many believed the 29-year-old Green was showing signs of decline earlier this season, but he has returned to his very best during the playoffs, particularly since Kevin Durant was injured against the Houston Rockets in the Conference Semifinals.
Green is averaging 16.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game against the Blazers, with those numbers not reflecting his relentless work on the defensive end.
"Our coaching staff and all my team-mates have been preaching to me this whole series about just getting the ball and pushing it," Green said.
"And so I just tried to bring that to the game and tonight it was successful for us."
The Blazers backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum shone as Portland made their way past the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets to reach the Conference Finals, but have been flummoxed by the Warriors' Green-led defense.
"He was the difference maker," Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stots said of Green.
"His energy, the way he was pushing the ball kept them going and he has such an impact on the game on both ends. Obviously he's the player of the game tonight."
Game 4 takes place in Portland in the early hours of Tuesday morning live on Sky Sports Arena.
