How Draymond's halftime message sparked the Warriors' comeback win

How Draymond's halftime message sparked the Warriors' comeback win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

While several Warriors players who excelled in the stats get credit for Tuesday's 124-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, a halftime speech from Draymond Green may have been the real catalyst for their comeback at Chase Center .

Trailing 51-47 after the buzzer sounded in the second quarter, Green's message to Golden State was clear: Apply pressure and good things will happen.

“We came off a little slow in the first half,” Warriors guard Gary Payton II told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Zena Keita after the game. “In the second half, Draymond challenged us to come out and score them first. In the second quarter we could see what happens when we attack and be aggressive – things start to change in our direction. …

“(Draymond) knows this team very well, and once we put pressure on them and force them to make quick decisions, bad things happen and good things tend to happen for us.”

The Warriors struggled in the first quarter and the Pelicans took an early 31-14 lead in the second quarter. With Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins and De'Anthony Melton all out with injuries on Tuesday, the game appeared to be a lost cause.

But the Warriors outscored the Pelicans 110-75 over the final three quarters, and after Green's message gave New Orleans a 22-point lead in the second half, that was largely due in part to Buddy Hield's 25 points in the third and fourth quarters thanks. 10-point shooting with six 3-pointers.

Brandin Podziemski (19 points) and Lindy Waters III (21 points) were Golden State's other top scorers. Green, meanwhile, finished plus-15 with three points, seven assists and three rebounds – with a very important address in the locker room.

“It all starts with Draymond,” striker Jonathan Kuminga told Keita. “Draymond came into the locker room and told us all, 'They look good at the moment, but as soon as we put pressure on they're all going to fade.' And that's the same thing that happened. We all came here with the same mindset and just put pressure on the defense.

“He said, 'As long as we put pressure on the defense, the offense will be easy.' So that’s what we came here and (did).”

Green's experienced leadership was evident in the Warriors' third win of the 2024-25 NBA season and only underscores how important the four-time champion is to Golden State's success.

And as Green and Co. aim for a return to the NBA playoffs, moments like his speech tonight could certainly help them achieve that goal.

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