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NEW ORLEANS — Draymond Green does not need to worry about Charles Barkley punching him in the face. Barkley apologized for saying such a thing, and Green said he did not take such a threat seriously anyway.

Green might need to worry about something else, though. The Warriors enter Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday with Green likely hearing many noises far more offensive and antagonistic than Barkley’s commentary.

“He’s going to get booed and they’re going to yell and scream at him,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I don’t think he cares that much.”

The reason for Green’s apathy?

“Draymond embraces that role. He’s an instigator. He’s a competitor,” Kerr said. “He’s loud. He’s brash. My experience is you need guys like that to win. Thank God we got him.”

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The reason for the antagonism toward Green? Well, Green tussled with nearly every Pelicans star in Game 2.

After fighting for a rebound on a boxout, Green tumbled to the ground and dragged down Pelicans forward Anthony Davis with him. After the two became twisted into a pretzel, Davis was called for a foul instead of Green.

After he drew a foul on an eventual 3-point play on Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic, Green reared his head back and roared. When Mirotic went up to him, Green jawed back and brushed past him. On another play, Green had more trash talk for Davis after driving past him and throwing down a one-handed dunk.

Then once the first half ended, Pelicans guard Rajon Rondo confronted Green and yelled at him. Green yelled at Rondo right back. Eventually, Warriors and Pelicans teammates and coaches intervened.

“Draymond just plays the game. Fans at this point, when you’re on the court, it really don’t matter,” Warriors forward Kevin Durant said. “None of that stuff matters, but the guys on the floor. Draymond is going to play hard. We’er going to be focused and locked in and do what we need to do as a team. The fans are going to boo and are going to cheer and sway on each possession. We can’t get caught up in the emotions of the game. We just have to play. Draymond is one of those guys who understands that.”

Green is also one of those guys that understands how such emotion has jumpstarted the Warriors.

After fighting season-long inconsistency with injuries, complacency and intensity during the regular season, Green has embodied how the Warriors have treated postseason play with more importance.

Green has shown marked improvement from the regular season to the playoffs in points (11, 13.3), rebounds (7.6, a team-leading 11.2) and assists (7.3, 9.0). Green has logged four double doubles. And Green became the first Warriors player since Larry Smith in 1987 to grab at least 15 rebounds in three consecutive playoff games. Green has posted these playoff numbers with added intensity without collecting any technicals and posting only one flagrant foul 1, a stark contrast to the 15 technicals and three ejections he collected during the regular season.

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“Draymond sets the tone for us every night with his defense. He’s one of the few guys that can consistently play better in the playoffs year after year,” Kerr said. “All of his numbers go up. He’s just got a different gear emotionally and physically. It’s just been fantastic through six games. I expect that to continue.”

The Warriors also expect the antagonism toward Green to continue from the Pelicans and their fans alike. It sounds as if the Warriors want that.

“That’s standard protocol. Not only for him but for us as a team,” Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. “They know what’s up. He’s done an amazing job of channeling his energy toward making plays and toward bringing that fire on us on both ends of the floor. We’re not worried about that.”

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