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Blazers Warriors Player Matchup Preview 4/5: Blazer Frontcourt vs Draymond Green

By Isaiah De los Santos

Jan 29, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) breaks through a double team defense by Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and guard Klay Thompson (11) at the Moda Center. The Warriors won 113-111. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) breaks through a double team defense by Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and guard Klay Thompson (11) at the Moda Center. The Warriors won 113-111. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 9, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts after referee Tom Washington (49) makes a call in game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
May 9, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts after referee Tom Washington (49) makes a call in game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports /

Rip City Project is getting ready for the start of the playoffs. To preview the highly anticipated Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers series, we take a look at our fourth player match up: Blazers’ Frontcourt vs. Draymond Green.

Green is one of the most fiery players in the NBA. He finds a way to influence the game, no matter what side of the ball he is engaged on. How on earth will the Blazers slow the heart and soul of Golden State?

Sometimes, he channels that fire into triple doubles; sometimes, he channels that fire into NBA Finals-costing punches to the greatest player in the game’s groin.

Green came out of Michigan State as a four-year player who was a Swiss-army knife for the Spartans. His last season he averaged 16.2 PPG, 10.6 RPG and 3.8 APG.

He threw in 54 steals and 35 blocks, too.

But the tenacious forward slipped in the draft, falling all the way to 35th. Green has made sure not to forget.

He has blossomed on the Warriors, entrusted to bring the fire that the team lacks while being the definitive NBA glue guy.

His season averages stand at 10.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG and seven assists, while also being second in the NBA in steals at two per game and adding 1.4 blocks for good measure.

For the Blazers — and the league really — Green is an almost impossible match up. He can guard positions 1-5 and inject fluid passing on the other end to keep the Warriors’ historic offense humming along.

While Steph Curry lets his game do the talking, and Kevin Durant seems to want no part of talking, Green uses fuel from his own trash talk to get him going—and simply, it works. Spite seems to drive the forward to find another gear; the Blazers must not fall victim to angering Green.

With all this in account, Portland is not going to lay down.

Let’s look at two players the Blazers can throw at Green to slow down his impact.