Draymond explains how Warriors improve challenge process and mentality originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors are changing the narrative around their challenging system this season.
After ranking last in coach challenge success rate during the 2023-2024 NBA season, Golden State’s intuition has been much better through five games this season.
Coach Steve Kerr is now 4-1 after his challenges this season, four of which are said to have been Draymond Green errors. Green explained why the Warriors know better when to call and when not to make calls.
“I think we’ve been better,” Green told reporters after Wednesday’s win against the New Orleans Pelicans. “We all complain about the challenges. The process is about as transparent as it can be. We all see the repetition. We are all allowed to make adjustments. Sometimes you may not agree with it, but for the most part it is right in your face I think we’re just better. I saw that graph this summer and it had the head coaches in it, and I look at the graph like, ‘Man, we were terrible.’ But our process wasn’t great. You made me cry there [Brandin Podziemski] out there crying. And everyone says, ‘Challenge, challenge.’
“And in turn, we weren’t able to create a good process. I think there’s been a few this year where Steve said, ‘Draymond, no, don’t challenge that.’ I think we’re all doing better. It’s important because the reality is: it’s bigger than just whether you win or lose the challenge. It probably means that when we lose challenges as we are, we’re all over-emotional. We are all too concerned with what the referees call. I think it is important that as leaders we understand that they are very important and can change the outcome of a game. I think we are just doing better than last year.”
Podziemski was also asked about the success rate, applauding Green for having better control over his emotions.
“I don’t necessarily think this is a better process,” Podziemski said. “I think Draymond is better with his emotional reaction to some things and he kind of understands, ‘Okay, do we have a legitimate shot at this?’ I think he deciphered it very well.”
Whatever Green, Kerr and the Warriors are doing: it’s working. And they hope to continue that success the rest of the way.
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