When Green wants to score, the Warriors get better. It's a fact that coaches, players, and even Green himself know.
Green's performance in Monday's Warriors win over the Kings was a perfect example of the striker's ability to attack and help the Warriors.
Against the Kings, Green scored 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 1-of-2 from three-point range. That three-pointer he hit was infallible. His foot was underneath him and he shot smoothly. That's in stark contrast to last season's greens not sure he should shoot or pass.
Still, Steve Kerr and the coaching staff didn't put pressure on Green to make him a scoring threat. This information has changed this season.
During training camp, Kerr said he wanted Green to average one or two three-pointers per game and be aggressive in scoring. In preseason, he tried eight long-range shots, three of which hit a 45.5 percent shooting percentage.
"He's a very smart player," Kerr said during the preseason. "I just liked his aggressiveness. I love when he's trying to score, whether it's an empty three-pointer or putting the ball on the ground and trying to get close to the basket. We tend to be a better team when he scores, so I want him to be aggressive. ”
Even Green has said that whenever he has the chance, he will strike. That's what happened in Sacramento.
Green made 12 attempts on Monday. Last season, he shot more than 10 goals in just one of his first 32 games and only five in the 63 regular season games he played. In two of the Warriors' three games this year, he scored at least 10 points, compared to just three in his first 27 games last year.
What's even more encouraging about Green's performance against the Kings is that he's not just content with outside shots. In game after game, he made the right decision to either shoot — like the three-pointer he shot — or use his stature to fight on the inside.
Similarly, last season, Green wasn't so decisive on offense. That's exactly what the Warriors need him to do.
In 38 games in which Green scored more than 20 points in his career, the Warriors lost just five. When he scored 25 points, the Golden State Warriors were 5-0.
Now, the Warriors shouldn't expect Green to hit those numbers, and as the depth of the bench increases, they don't need him anymore. But if he could pose a threat on the offensive end, that would have a similar effect. The opposing defense will have to respect him, whether he is airdropped or attacked.
Since the Warriors emphasize space and ball movement, it's easy to get as they now have a lot of scoring threats and Green will find himself getting more and more empty and have more opportunities to score.
He must continue to take advantage of the opportunity as he did in Sacramento on Monday.