"He the point guard. He getting the rebound, pushing the ball" - Jeff Teague on why he hated playing against Draymond Green

While the prevailing notion suggests that facing the Golden State Warriors squad during their prime years was a formidable challenge due to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson's light-out 3-point shooting, Jeff Teague recently offered a different perspective.

The 6'3" point guard asserted that he 'hated' playing against Draymond Green , as the former DPOY elevated Coach Steve Kerr's system, which was exceptionally difficult to counter.

Teague on Draymond's impact on the Warriors

During his appearance on 'The Draymond Green Show,' the 2021 NBA Champ referred to Dray as the 'most important' component of the Warriors' success. In his justification, Teague elaborated that while Green's impact may not be lethal in the box scores yet, his game acumen and playmaking were such that they rendered it nearly impossible for opponents to contain the Splash Brothers.

"You the most important, bro," Teague said . "I hated playing against ya'll because maybe back off of Draymond but then you can pass and you see the whole floor… dribble handoff with Steph and I don't got nobody help up with me. I'm like, 'You don't understand what this man is doing. He the point guard. He getting the rebound, pushing the ball.' And ya'll tell me to chase Steph around. I'm like, ya'l tripping, this is Rondo. He just a taller Rondo."

As Teague rightly noted, beginning with the 2015-16 season, while Klay and Steph, along with KD, consistently averaged over 20 points per game, it was Dray who ensured effective ball distribution, leading the team in assists for the following four seasons.

Moreover, the effectiveness of the 4-time All-Star's ball distribution was further demonstrated when the Warriors won their most recent championship in 2022, and he led the team in assists again.

Green mocked teams for leaving him open

As the one-time All-Star expressed his frustration regarding teams' tendency to leave Dray unguarded, the latter responded with amusement. He noted that the lack of defensive attention and intensity, in contrast to the coverage Steph receives, eventually allows him ample opportunity to orchestrate plays at will.

"I absolutely love it when teams do it, " Draymond said. "You just let me sit here in this pocket and pick you apart."

These assertions highlight how Draymond himself never focuses on 30-point performances in games; rather, his main objective is to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. So, if teams want to contain Green next season, they surely need to change their approach against him.

Related: “See some grapes flying over my shoulder” - When Draymond Green silenced a fan who tried heckling Stephen Curry’s family