The Golden State Warriors may have walked away with a 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, but was it as reassuring as the scoreboard suggests? Sure, they’ve booked their playoff spot—but let’s not forget they had to claw their way through the Play-In Tournament again, even after the big splash of bringing in Jimmy Butler. That alone hints that all’s not entirely well in the Bay. And with the playoffs now in full view, the spotlight is only going to get harsher. So when Draymond Green made a crucial mistake late in the game, it didn’t sit well with many, including none other than Dwyane Wade.
If you’ve followed Draymond long enough, you know this isn’t new—he’s got a rap sheet of risky fouls, like that flagrant in the 2022 playoffs against these same Grizzlies that got him tossed in Game 1.
Now, if you missed the drama in those final minutes, here’s what went down: with just 1:29 left on the clock, Green made contact with Scottie Pippen Jr.’s wrist on a drive. Clear foul? Absolutely. But somehow, the refs let it slide. That gave Draymond a lifeline, but instead of pulling back, he ended up committing another foul shortly after—his sixth—and just like that, he was out of the game. Imagine if that had swung the game the other way. And Dwyane Wade didn’t sugarcoat it when he talked about it on his podcast.
“Draymond, stop that. That foul that you had, that six foul that you had… You don’t do that. Don’t go for that game with that two you up six. You a champion at that point… Don’t go for that steal,” Wade said, his voice clearly carrying both concern and a hint of frustration. He followed it up with a veteran’s perspective, urging smarter plays in such situations.
“That’s when you got to be the lead in the vet. You just stay in front. Make them make a shot in front of you… You can’t go for that steal right there. Not up six. You ain’t trying to make a play like you down six,” he added on The Dwyane Wade Podcast.
Nov 10, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Now here’s where it really got dicey—Draymond fouled out when the Warriors had a 117-111 edge. Brandin Podziemski came in to steady the ship, but the Grizzlies surged, cutting the lead to just one at 117-116. Thankfully for Dub Nation, the win still came through. Thanks to another incorrect call that came when Ja Morant knocked the ball away from Steph. The ball was ruled in the Warriors’ favor, but as per the NBA report, it should’ve been handed to Memphis since Curry touched it last.
Clearly, Draymond’s slip-up made things way too uncomfortable. With no margin for error in the postseason, that kind of gamble could be costly the next time around. And let’s not forget that this is not the first instance in recent games that Green had this sort of slip-up.
Warriors’ loss against the Clippers ahead of the Play-In tournament was partly on Draymond Green
If you’ve watched Dray long enough, you already know—he’s never short on confidence. The man has built a career out of pushing limits, both as a defender and as a competitor. But let’s be real—sometimes, he crosses that line when it matters the most. And on April 14 against the Los Angeles Clippers, he did just that.
With the Warriors down in the final 30 seconds of overtime, the moment was tense but manageable. Then came the play. Gary Payton II dished the ball to Draymond Green, who had a clean look under the rim. All he had to do was power through and get the bucket.
Instead, in classic Draymond fashion, he chose chaos, leaning into Kawhi Leonard in what looked like a desperate attempt to bait the refs. There was no need for it. The contact threw off his shot, the Clippers snagged the rebound, and soon after, sealed the deal with free throws. At this point, you can’t blame Dwyane Wade for sounding the alarm. With the Play-In heating up, how Draymond handles things could make or break the Warriors’ postseason run.
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