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"Who can't we match up with?" - Draymond Green doubles down on Warriors' title chances this season
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- "Who can't we match up with?" - Draymond Green doubles down on Warriors' title chances this season
Whatever Draymond Green lacks in height and heft at his position, he more than makes up for with pride and intensity. Listed at only 6'6", the man is currently playing center for the Golden State Warriors .
This places him at odds against behemoths like Victor Wembanyama , Joel Embiid and three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic , whom he stifled and limited to only 21 points on a horrendous 8-of-23 shooting clip during Thursday night's 137-131 overtime victory.
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Although he is often a divisive figure due to his loud, brash personality, people must give him credit for his authenticity and honesty. Last season, he declared the Warriors would win it all. Although he was proven wrong after the Dubs exited in the second round, it's a stance he's sticking with this year.
The Dubs can compete for league supremacy
Green is a straightshooter. He will call a spade a spade, and if he sees that the Warriors are already on the wrong side of the hill, he will be the first to admit it. Despite all the criticism and doubt surrounding their current roster, especially its aging core of him, Steph Curry , Jimmy Butler and Al Horford , Green remains steadfast in his belief that this team can still dominate.
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"We definitely feel the confidence. And obviously, everybody says every year, 'Man, we want to come in, we want to compete for a championship,'" the former Defensive Player of the Year said . "When we don't have a chance to compete for a championship, I won't tell you that."
Butler's arrival has undeniably changed how the winds are blowing in the Bay Area as his scoring, playmaking and overall grit have injected the Warriors with renewed vigor and verve. In fact, had Curry not injured his hamstring in the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves , many believe the series' outcome could have been different.
"What last year showed me was that we're still right there. We're still a very tough team to beat. We can still beat anyone," Dray proclaimed.
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Related: Golden State Warriors are "monitoring" this $166 million star in a potential trade scenario
More depth and versatility
The Warriors' offseason started slowly but picked up after the team reached a new deal with promising forward Jonathan Kuminga . After that, they soon added Horford and versatile guard De'Anthony Melton, who played well for them last season before suffering a torn ACL.
"Al brings another big who can go toe-to-toe and guard some of these bigs, a veteran presence that we need. He stretches the floor. Steve Kerr loves a shooting big, you know. That presence, championship pedigree, we can use that," Green stated.
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"When De'Anthony Melton got hurt last year, that really took a toll on our team. He was really good for us and a big piece of what we were doing. Then he got hurt, and everything changed," Dray added. "So bringing him back, and obviously he'll be rehabbing, but I think we've got the depth to withstand that."
Although championships are never won on paper, Draymond knows his teammates well enough to determine their ability to match up against any team in the league.
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"When I take a step back and look at it, I'm like, 'Man, who can't we match up with?'" Green quipped. "We need to go big — all right, you throw Al in there, you got myself… So we can go bigger, we can go small, we can go shooting, we can go defensive lineups. These are the things that I'm looking at."
The NBA ultimately comes down to matchups, and with the Warriors' versatile roster, they can go toe-to-toe against any lineup opposing teams throw at them. If anyone needs a reminder, they can ask the Nuggets , who left the Bay Area packing a loss in their suitcases.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
