https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/draymond-green-steph-curry-highlight-bob-myers-value-after-warriors-win

Draymond, Steph highlight Myers' unmatched value after win

16H ago
by Dalton Johnson

Furious. Enraged. Irate. Fuming.

Pick a word, any word. Draymond Green was all of the above for long
stretches Tuesday night at Chase Center. Even on a night where he found
himself in two separate squabbles with the New Orleans Pelicans, perhaps
nothing peeved Green more than when Steve Kerr wouldn't challenge a
charge called on him with 4:48 remaining in the game and the Warriors up
by seven points.

The call gave Green five fouls on the night, meaning one more would have
him out for the game. The savior was someone who Green respects as much
as anyone in the building, and someone who doesn't walk down to the
Warriors' sidelines too often.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers walked down the bench and made sure
he had Green's attention. When the GM began speaking, Green was shaking
his head side to side. Within seconds, Green was in agreement, now
nodding up and down. He dapped up Myers, zipped up his warmup jacket and
walked his way into the Warriors' huddle -- now clapping out of
encouragement.

"It was huge," Green said of Myers' message. "He came down, he was like,
'Listen. All right, you proved your point and you may have been right,
but if you stay that way, guys are going to follow you. If you turn
around right now and get in the huddle, guys will follow that.'

"I got back in the huddle and challenged our guys and boosted the lead
even more. Y'all don't always get to see Bob's work, other than putting
the team together. But he's so important to everything that we do. I
can't imagine -- and I know, I watch this league. GMs don't keep a pulse
on the team like Bob keeps a pulse of this team. Maybe two other GMs in
the league right there would come down to the bench and say something.
And that's also someone who I have the utmost respect for.

"If Bob comes and tells me something, that's Bible to me. I'm going to
listen to that. But that's a relationship that has been built over the
last 11 years, and that is a relationship that will continue to grow
over the next 40 years. For him to come down in that moment and say
something to me, you gotta honor that and it was huge."

Less than a minute later, Green was back in the game without a foul to
give and just under four minutes left in regulation. In the next near
three minutes, the Warriors outscored the Pelicans 10-2 before pulling
their starters with a minute left in their 120-109 comeback win.

Myers could have done what most GMs do and kept his distance. He knows
what makes Green tick and what makes him go. His voice was needed in
that moment, more than any coach or teammate.

How many other front office members hold that kind of weight, and have
that kind of influence? The total can be counted on one hand.
Truthfully, the answer might be a grand total of zero.

What unfolded was why Green, Steve Kerr and Steph Curry have been on the
record, pleading their case for the importance of Myers -- both with
what he has meant to the dynasty and what he'll mean in extending it for
a handful of future Hall of Famers.

"It's just another example of it," Curry said. "Whether it's in front of
19,000 and on the bench or whether it's a phone call or a text or
conversation, whatever it is, there's a lot of trust in his perspective.
You don't see him come down that often.

"So it's not like it's something that's frequent. It's just timely, and
that's something that Draymond responds to because he trusts his point
of view. I don't know what he said in that moment, but it does go a long
way whether it's in the locker room, at practice, off the court, outside
the arena -- whatever it is, we respond to what he says."

For the night, Green was a game-high plus-26 in plus/minus over 33
minutes in the Warriors' 11-point win. He scored eight points on 4-of-5
shooting, with 13 assists, six rebounds and two steals. His late
turnover Sunday night in the Warriors' ugly 99-96 loss to the Minnesota
Timberwolves played a major part in one of Golden State's most
frustrating collapses of the season.

Draymond took it upon himself to bring the fire and be the Warriors'
energy Tuesday night, especially after such a disappointing loss two
nights prior. The Warriors came out of the gates slow and needed a
spark. The 33-year-old was the match and the flame for the defending
champions, who are fighting every day to avoid the play-in tournament
and improve their playoff standings.

Down by 17 points at halftime, the Warriors outscored the Pelicans 74-46
in the second half -- a 28-point advantage. Green played 17 minutes in
the second half and attempted one shot. To expand on Green's unique
gravity, he was a plus-26 in the final two quarters with two points,
nine assists, three rebounds and countless examples of bringing the
Warriors to life.

"Draymond willed us to victory tonight," Kerr said. "His intensity, his
frustration early with the way we were playing, mad at the world,
yelling at everybody -- their bench, our bench, me -- and frankly we all
deserved it. That first half was as poor a half as we've played all
year. We weren't engaged and that's what makes Draymond special.

"It's not just the amazing basketball IQ, defense and playmaking, but
it's just his sheer will. And he was key tonight."

Honing in his sheer will behind his intensity and frustration was the
glue that kept Green and the Warriors together. Myers is to thank for
that. All without a contract that extends beyond this season.

Following however far the Warriors go this season, Green has a $27.5
million player option on his contract for next season. Myers has
nothing. He and owner Joe Lacob appear at odds over Myers' current
contract, which ends after this season. Draymond can test the waters, or
sign on the dotted line for at least one more year.

Myers in his first NBA draft as the Warriors' GM took a flier on a
decorated college star who was considered a tweener, then a knock
instead of a plus, with the fifth pick of the second round. The rest is
history, and everything he and the Warriors have built could be history
if Myers' future with the franchise isn't figured out in a hurry.

Tuesday's wild win where the Warriors trailed by as much as 20 points
could be a turning point of the season, or only another victory on a
court they have dominated all season. Either way, it served as a prime
example of the unmatched impact Myers has on the Warriors.

The rest of the Warriors' decision makers better listen loud and clear
to the meaning behind the words of Steph and Draymond. The weight their
words hold are immeasurable, and the basketball world is watching.