San Antonio Spurs slow Stephen Curry with Danny Green

Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

OAKLAND – Danny Green was leaving the visitors locker room at Oracle Arena late Friday night when a reporter was hoping to pass along some well-deserved praise.

"You see those numbers when you're guarding (Golden State guard) Steph (Curry)?" the man said to the San Antonio Spurs guard.

"Nope, and I'd rather not, but thanks," he said with a smile before heading for the exits.

Like everything Curry-related that Green and the Spurs have done these past two games, it was the right move. After all, this matchup may wind up deciding the fate of these Western Conference Semifinals that the Spurs now lead 2-1 after their 102-92 win in Game 3. No reason for Green to jinx it now.

Whether Green wants to hear it or not, the numbers are as good as advertised. When Green has been crouched and ready with those long arms, quick feet, and textbook defensive stance, Curry has hit just one of 15 shots against him in Games 2 and 3 while not faring much better against the likes of Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard. Slowing the scorer who was the runaway people's choice for playoff MVP just a few days ago isn't easy, but they're doing it.

Curry is a combined 12 of 37 (32.4%) in those two games (5 of 15 from three-point range for 33%), this after shooting 47.9% overall and 43.9% in the Warriors' first seven playoff games. In other words, he's human again. And the Warriors, who had come to count on him as the resident superhero of their unexpected playoff run, may be in trouble as a result.

After hearing Warriors coach, Mark Jackson say afterward that "this is a make-or-miss league" and that Curry simply "missed shots," Green couldn't help but take a jab at his fellow New York native. Jackson had also said of Curry that "(the Spurs) did a good job defensively," but that didn't seem to suffice for Green and the Spurs.

"Not bad," he told USA TODAY Sports when asked of his defensive work on Curry. "If you ask Mark, it'd be a little different."

"I heard about (his postgame comments). That's how the game goes sometimes. That's how he's supposed to be. He's a great coach, another New York guy, supports his players. That's why they're coming out with a lot of confidence and knocking down shots. The main reason is him. And he's doing a great job of strategically sticking to a gameplan and getting them to come out each game with a lot of energy and we have to kind of match it."

Then again, Green is hardly the greatest Curry concern for the Warriors right now. In a fourth-quarter moment that brought back all the familiar tension from the fans that has surrounded Curry's early years, he turned the same left ankle that was sprained in the first round against Denver and hobbled his way to the finish because he insisted to Jackson that he was alright.

Curry underwent treatment afterward and did not speak to the media, but it's clear the Warriors fear he may be out for Game 4. The scheduling isn't helping his cause, as he has a grand total of approximately 38 hours between games to rest up and recover. And even if he plays, of course, he'll have yet another problem to deal with in Green.

The 25-year-old has come a long ways since fighting to get on the floor in his first two seasons in Cleveland and San Antonio, where he played 28 games combined. He has since become the Spurs' latest former second-round pick to flourish in their system – a la Manu Ginobili – after being taken 46th overall out of North Carolina by the Cavaliers. And now, the job requirement includes slowing one of the most dangerous scorers going in Curry.

"It's a great (challenge) man," Green said. "We treat him like a mini Kevin Durant. Obviously he's not as tall or as lethal attacking the rim, but he can finish, has floaters, has all types of stuff, a quick trigger. He's a scorer – a true scorer.

"I respect him. You've got to respect him. He's one of the best scorers we have in the league now. And for me to be able to guard him that tough – they have me guarding him and telling me to step up to this challenge – is big for me. I'm defending the way they tell me to defend him. You know, long story short, just stay connected to him. Stay in his airspace and try to make him uncomfortable. That's all."

Or, perhaps, just cross your fingers whenever Curry fires away.

"Like Mark said," Green deadpanned. "He just missed some shots tonight."