Last season started to spiral out of control before it began when Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole during a training camp practice. Green reflected on the bad chemistry it created and how things have changed after the Warriors’ 102-101 win over the Sacramento Kings, won on Klay Thompson’s game-winner on Wednesday night.
“Last year we had an awful team as far as chemistry goes, it was pathetic,” Green told reporters. “But chemistry has been a strong suit here. That’s why Steph (Curry) has been here for 15 years, Klay has been here for 13. I’ve been here for 12 and Loon (Kevon Looney) has been here for nine because chemistry is a strong suit — and Andre Iguodala. The list goes on and on. And that’s why so many guys have been around here for so long because the chemistry is what we’ve hung our hat on.”
Green’s comment was in response to a visible cohesion the Warriors are displaying through their 4-1 record to start this season. The team’s front office swapped Poole for Chris Paul in the offseason, which is already paying dividends with Paul leading a strong bench unit that’s given Golden State a lot of stability they lacked when Curry wasn’t on the floor. It’s also given Curry a boost as he’s having one of the hottest starts of his career.
It was a bit ironic for Green to comment on last year’s chemistry as his punch of Poole was seen as a catalyst to their internal issues. But Green is candid when it comes to conveying the read of their room.
“While you look at last year you say oh man, this team hasn’t lost a western conference series under Steve Kerr and then it happens,” he said. “A big reason why is our chemistry sucked and so I don’t look at that as ‘Oh man, like, this is a team that, you know, we struggled with our chemistry for years. It was a one-year thing thinks you know, stuff happens and it was an anomaly.”
Green said they are “right back where we need to be in that department,” and said there’s still room to grow this year. But wasn’t shy to say things weren’t good last year.
“It was hard to come to work,” he said. “It was hard. It was hard to come to work. not fun, you know. And so this year you see the joy, you know, on guys’ faces when they come in the building. You got guys like staying over two or three hours after just sitting around and talking and getting here two or three hours early just to be here, you know. You start to see that and you’re like OK, this is a group that likes being together.”
Thompson, who has been hesitant to discuss last season in any context, didn’t agree with Green.
“I think this year’s great chemistry-wise, and last year was good as well,” he said. “I think just every time you step into an NBA facility to go to work, feels great. So I don’t think too much about chemistry. I think it comes, I think winning solves all.”
Curry toed the line.
“I understand the vibe of how last year went,” Curry said. “I know you could waste a lot of breath talking about everything that happened last year. But the way the season ended and what happened over the summer, I think that the time that we got to spend together as a group, two or three times we all got together were huge, so that you kind of get the elephants out of the room…. I think it’s translated to some earlier success for sure, because even though we know we’re not playing perfect basketball, there’s nice cohesion and chemistry and trust amongst each other that whoever’s out there is going to take advantage of of that time they’re out there.”
