Draymond Green said he wasn't thrilled when Steve Kerr pulled him out of the game in the fourth quarter.
While Green did come up with two big plays on a crucial possession with just over a minute to go to help the Warriors pull out a 107-97 series-evening win, he had to come to grips with sitting for nearly four minutes in the middle of the fourth quarter before being replaced.
Green said he was never thrilled to leave the game with seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter. I am not going to act like I was happy. I compete.
If that's what the coach decides, then you go with it. I kept my head in the game and tried to make plays. My mindset was that.
Green missed six of seven shots and finished with 2 points, 9 rebound, 8 assists and 4 steals in 32 minutes.
With the Celtics up 90-96 with seven minutes to go, Kerr put Andrew Wiggins in for Green and Bjelica.
The Warriors took a 97-94 lead with Green out after Marcus Smart made a free throw.
Kerr said that they took him out and put him in around 7. We stayed with the group because Jordan and Loon were playing great.
According to Kerr, he didn't see Green's reaction but that he never wants his players to be happy about being taken out.
Green is shooting 6-for-26 and has scored a total of 17 points with 18 fouls in the Finals. He has a 7.2 rebound and 5.7 assist rate.
Kerr said that he is the ultimate competitor. "I came back in" Huge plays were made in the last few minutes. He had 8 assists and 9 boards.
He's still impacting the game at a huge level despite the fact that this is a tough series for him to score in. He knows we're going to do everything we can to win.
Green made his biggest plays of the night, grabbing an offensive rebound off a Klay Thompson missed 3-pointer and then later driving and dishing to Looney for a layup that gave the Warriors a two point lead with 1:04 left.
It was rare to see Green sitting late in a Finals game.
Stephen Curry had a 43 point and 10 rebound game. The decisions that Coach makes and responsibility falls on us as players. Draymond had some life on the defensive side of the ball.
It's just about winning. It doesn't always go your way from the top to the bottom. It isn't enjoyable. You understand the big picture when it pays off, even though it isn't something you readily accept. The trust in Loon and what he can do is more important than the situation with Draymond.
Kerr said he will do "whatever it takes" to win if the Warriors win in Game 5.
If you have something and it's rolling, you stick with it. It's what it is.
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