The last two days have been like an exam prep for Draymond Green. The Warriors’ video team sent him clips of players from throughout the season. He digested the New Orleans series against Portland, analyzing sets and strengths and weaknesses. If this were an end-of-the-world movie, Green is the scientist concocting the plan to save earth.



And he’s not just watching Anthony Davis. But the entire team. Matching the video evidence with the scouting report, spotting tendencies and weaknesses. Hours of film. More hours of thinking about it all.



Then, like that …. there is a point where he’s ready. Not necessarily an epiphany. More like the files of Pelicans secrets were completely downloaded and he was a certified expert on their offense. When he has that kind of time to invest in a foe, when he is feeling good physically, when there are stakes to feed into his competitive energy, it leads to performances like the one he had in the Warriors’...