The Unpredictable Draymond Green

Early in one of the Golden State Warriors’ conference semifinal games against the Utah Jazz, Rudy Gobert, Utah’s 7’1” center, cut unimpeded toward the basket. The defense had lapsed; all the Jazz needed to do was toss the ball near the rim and let Gobert collect and dunk it. The pass was made, and the dunk was imminent—but then Golden State’s Draymond Green appeared. A half-foot shorter than Gobert, with far less leaping ability, Green nevertheless timed his jump, wedged his hand between ball and cylinder, and blocked the shot. He would go on to compile a characteristically assorted stat line—21 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals—but that play was his statement of purpose. Even things that looked easy, for Utah, wouldn’t be. Not