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SACRAMENTO — The speedy point guard moved all around the court, showing precision, agility and aggressiveness that almost no one on the Warriors could stop. Unfortunately for Sacramento rookie point guard De’Aaron Fox, he then ran into Warriors forward Draymond Green. The Warriors’ imposing forward then humbled Fox.
Fox soared toward the basket in hopes to convert on a layup that would chip away at the Warriors’ lead. Instead, Green stuffed Fox at the rim. Green’s actions spoke for themselves. But since when does Green refrain from trash talking? So Green left Fox with this message: “Get that [expletive] down.”
The Warriors eventually secured a 119-104 victory over the Kings on Friday, partly because Green made key defensive stops to compensate for the team’s 25 turnovers. One of the more significant plays: Green’s block on Fox as the Warriors held a 111-102 lead with 2:03 remaining in the game. When Fox chirped back following the play, Green said he repeated the same message: “”Get that [expletive] down.”
“That’s who he is. He attacks and puts pressure on the defense. He did that all night,” Green said of Fox, who had 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting and six assists. “It doesn’t surprise me at all. He doesn’t come across as a guy that doesn’t fear anything. That’s his game. He gets to the whole and attacks in transition. It didn’t surprise me one bit.”
It should not surprise anyone one bit that Green still put Fox in his place. But even if Green taunted Fox with his defense and his trash talk, the Warriors’ forward liked that Fox did not back away from the challenge. Green saw it as an encouraging sign for Fox, whom the Kings drafted fifth overall after starring for one season at the University of Kentucky.
“He’s a good player. He’s going to be really good. He got some stuff to him you can’t teach,” Green said. “I think he’s going to be a great pro. They did a great job of drafting him. I’m looking forward to his growth. He’s going to be really good.”
