Draymond Green, uncharacteristic as of late, needs to be better for Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

We’ve long witnessed marvelous things Draymond Green does for the Warriors, from wrecking opposing offensive sets to smothering those who challenge his individual defense, to freeing Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson for open shots even when defenses know it’s coming.

Winning Draymond. The man who rallies the troops and connects the game at both ends. 

That’s who the Warriors are going to need to climb out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves.

That’s not the Draymond Green we’ve seen lately.

He has been too careless with his passes, too inefficient with his shooting and too much like someone who doesn’t meet Draymond’s standard. It’s hurting the Warriors – and it’s spreading a coating of dust over the remarkable legacy he has built since 2014.

The Warriors on Thursday night donated a game to the Phoenix Suns. Gave it away with 20 turnovers that led to 30 points. Twenty turnovers in the second half were too much for the Warriors to overcome, and it ensured a 99-98 loss.

Draymond was responsible for five of the turnovers, with 10 of his teammates sprinkling the other 15. This comes four days after he committed eight of Golden State’s 18 turnovers and welcomed the blame in a 136-131 loss to the Trail Blazers in Portland.

“Just making bad reads, bad decisions,” Green told reporters Sunday in Portland. “(I’ve got to) be more decisive, take better care of it. I’m too f—–g old to be doing that.”

And yet, two practices later, there was another dud on Thursday.

“I’m just going to throw the pass when I know it’s there instead of second-guessing,” Green told reporters in Phoenix. “I’m a great f—–g passer. So, if I see the pass there, I’m not second-guessing. I’m just going to throw it. If I turn it over, I turn it over.

“But I’m a great passer, so I won’t second-guess my passing. I’m just going to throw it when I know it’s there.”

Those two statements provide a glimpse into what has made Draymond worthy of the Hall of Fame. He’s professional enough to acknowledge valid criticism and stubborn enough to keep believing in himself despite two forgettable performances. It’s a second-round pick mentality that has led to some of the highest honors the NBA has to offer.

With the Warriors dropping into ninth place with a 13-15 record, everyone on the roster is searching for answers. They lost a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and the game when Curry scored 48 points, 21 in the fourth quarter.  They lost a 14-point third-quarter lead and the game when Jimmy Butler III tallied 31 points.

Even with coach Steve Kerr in his 12th season of urging better ball security and his seventh season of pleading for it, one of his stars commits 13 turnovers over a two-game span at a time when the Warriors need a stretch of stellar play to at least look like a team capable of winning a playoff series.

“He’s trying too hard right now,” Kerr said of Green after the loss to the Suns. “He’s such a competitor, he’s trying too hard to make plays and just needs to slow down a little.”

Kerr has a point. Some of Draymond’s passes are forced, some are easily anticipated by opponents who spend a few minutes studying video of Golden State’s offense. It would not be difficult to produce a 10-minute video of Draymond not playing at the level that has made him and the franchise a winner. Champions.

There is no championship on the horizon for Golden State this season. Not even close. Not with this roster and not the way this team is playing.

“We’re not making winning plays,” Green said in Phoenix. “We’re not making winning plays.”

Winning plays are precisely what have made Green so valuable to the Warriors. They’d like to believe, at 36, he still can summon winning plays. He believes he can, and there have been flashes this season.

Draymond knows he needs to be better. He is being challenged to meet the standard he set for himself, and the Warriors are in deep trouble if he can’t at least come close.

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With the NBA Cup now in the rearview mirror, it's time to get back to a semi-regular schedule. Some rotational changes in the past week have provided a couple of players with an extended opportunity, while others have simply turned things around following a slow start to the season. As always, the waiver wire is the place to be, providing managers with bargain players who could be about to ascend in the fantasy basketball rankings. And remember, never assume a player is rostered. It always pays to double-check, just in case they have been overlooked.

Identifying players who are benefiting from expanded roles–whether it's an offensive threat delivering points and threes or a defensive-minded player boosting your blocks and steals–is vital as you navigate the season.

Let's dive into nine key NBA sleepers whose current stats suggest they are poised for significant value and are currently rostered in fewer than 40% of Yahoo leagues.

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Wendell Carter, Orlando Magic (33% rostered)

Carter continues to quietly go about his business, putting together arguably the best season of his career. Although his ceiling is somewhat limited, Carter has been able to add an element of consistency to his game, providing adequate production on both ends of the floor. This has translated into fantasy value, even in high-score leagues. He has scored at least 36 fantasy points in each of his last three games, averaging 38.7 points per game during that span. Although Orlando has an adequate backup in Goga Bitadze, it appears as though Carter has both hands on the starting job. If you are looking for a reliable plug-and-play option, look no further than Carter.

Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies (25% rostered)

After a slow start to the season, Wells has been able to turn things around over the past month, having scored at least 30 fantasy points in five of his 10 games during that time. In his past four games, Wells is averaging 32.3 fantasy points, a vast improvement on what he was putting up to begin the campaign. The Grizzlies continue to find ways to win and are now in the Play-In picture in the Western Conference. Although Wells' fantasy value is largely tied to points and threes, he has been getting busy on the defensive end, averaging 2.0 steals per game over the past four. Any peripheral production is a bonus, meaning now is the time to take a chance on Wells, at least until he cools off.

Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers (30% rostered)

Earlier in the week, it was announced that Tyson would be part of the starting lineup in Cleveland, at least for the foreseeable future. While this certainly makes sense from a reality standpoint, it also provides fantasy managers with a sense of assuredness moving forward. Tyson has been one of the more surprising names this season, providing relatively consistent production despite his role fluctuating. In seven games during the month, Tyson is averaging 33.7 fantasy points per game. On the whole, it's been a disappointing season for the Cavaliers, meaning Tyson should continue to play heavy minutes, looking to turn the season around for Cleveland.

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Jock Landale, Memphis Grizzlies (13% rostered)

Due to popular demand, Landale makes his second straight appearance on this list, as he continues to play some of the best basketball of his career. With Zach Edey slated to miss multiple weeks due to a foot injury, Landale has solidified himself as a key piece in the Grizzlies' rotation. Despite coming off the bench, his playing time has been more than adequate, logging 30, 28 and 27 minutes in each of the past three games. During that span, he has averaged 12.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 three-pointers and 2.0 combined steals and blocks, good enough for top 50 value in standard formats. There is almost certainly going to be some inconsistency moving forward, but on the whole, Landale is doing enough to be rostered in more than 13 percent of leagues.

Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards (15% rostered)

Carrington is another player who has quietly put together an impressive stretch, scoring double digits in four straight games. During that time, he has averaged 17.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.3 three-pointers in 37.0 minutes per game. Injuries to other players, most notably to Khris Middleton, have provided Carrington with a nice opportunity to convince the coaching staff that he should be heavily featured on a nightly basis. He had scored double digits only five times in his first 21 games prior to this run, highlighting just how poor he had been. With that said, Washington has nothing to lose, meaning Carrington's current role could last, at least until he cools off.

Dominick Barlow, Philadelphia 76ers (6% rostered)

Despite the fact that Philadelphia is beginning to get healthy players back on the floor, Barlow continues to play a significant role as a member of the starting lineup. He has started in nine straight games, scoring double digits in six of those. While his offensive output has been modest, to say the least, his ability to chip in across multiple categories has made him a top 90 player over the past week. In two games during that time, he has averaged 10.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 combined steals and blocks in 30.7 minutes per game. While he won't be a viable option for everyone, those looking for across-the-board upside could do worse than taking a flier on Barlow.

Standard Points Leagues

Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks (21% rostered)

Portis has been able to ramp up his production over the past two weeks, thanks in large part to the continued absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. In five games during that time, Portis has averaged 18.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals, good enough for 32.5 fantasy points per game. It should be noted that Kyle Kuzma missed the Bucks' most recent game due to illness, providing Portis with some additional playing time. However, he has been able to do just enough, even with Kuzma on the court, to be considered in standard points leagues. 

Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs (24% rostered)

Harper continues to impress, scoring a career-high 24 points in Thursday's win over the Wizards. While the production has been intriguing, the playing time continues to be a concern, given the guard depth in San Antonio. He is basically competing for minutes with De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson. This situation is not built for fantasy, making Harper a somewhat risky addition. However, the talent is obvious, and he has played at least 22 minutes in five of the past six games. He has scored at least 30 fantasy points in three of those, providing us with a glimpse of what could be possible. Despite the risk, he is worth a look, at least as a short-term addition.

Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans (32% rostered)

Despite the return of Jordan Poole and Zion Williamson, Bey has remained in the starting lineup, logging at least 33 minutes in three of the past five games. During that time, he has averaged 17.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists, good enough for 31.3 fantasy points per game. His long-term role remains somewhat clouded, especially once Williamson ramps up his playing time. Bey could eventually move back to the bench, but for now, it appears as though he has earned the trust of the coaching staff. 

When Brice Sensabaugh drilled a wide-open three pointer in the third quarter, Lakers coach JJ Redick quickly called a timeout and began to gesture with both hands toward his players, clearly showing his displeasure with their defense.

The Lakers responded.

They especially picked up their defensive intensity for an important spurt in the fourth quarter, slowing down the Utah Jazz and in the process the Lakers’ offense took off, the two converging at the right time to push them to a 143-135 win Thursday night at the Delta Center.

The Lakers gave up 41 points in the first quarter and a season-high 78 at the half. They allowed 57 points in the second half and put the Jazz away by scoring 41 points in the fourth quarter.

“Obviously we know this Utah team can score points at a very high rate, but it was very imperative that we got stops,” said LeBron James, who had another productive night with 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. “We had to get stops to start that fourth and then it allowed our offense to click.”

But even with the Lakers building a 12-point lead in the fourth, the Jazz continued to put stress on L.A.’s defense, getting within four points late in the game.

The Lakers had answers every time, keeping the game in their hands behind Luka Doncic’s triple-double — 45 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds.

His 45-point triple-double and five steals made Doncic just the second player in NBA history to accomplish that feat since steals became official in 1973-74. Detroit Cade Cunningham (46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals) is the other player to do so, producing that against the Wizards on Nov. 2025 in overtime.

Doncic was 14-for-28 from the field, four-for-12 from three-point range and had just one turnover in 39 minutes and 33 seconds of play.

Doncic also was the first Laker to have a 40-point triple-double since Magic Johnson in 1981.

“I think, honestly, I could do so much more,” Doncic said. “But I think that one turnover is the best stat-wise on this stat sheet. So, we had seven turnovers, which is impressive for us and we won the game. And again, that's what matters. But I think we locked in a lot in the second half. We did a great job.”

The Lakers got a scare when James went down holding his left knee after a collision with Utah’s Walter Clayton Jr.

James was dribbling the basketball near the three-point arc when Clayton went for a steal, but instead his knee hit the inside of James’ knee, knocking the Laker to the floor with 7:52 left in the second quarter.

James eventually got up and continued to play, taking a rest with 4:53 left in the half.

James described what happened on the play.

“Just a little bolt to the knee, like a sharp pain to the knee,” James said. “Got kneed on the the inside, like the medial side of the knee. And just kind of wanted to take my time a little bit as it calmed down or whatever the case may be. Or hoping it calmed down. Told Mike (Mancias) my trainer, I said, 'We dodged a bullet there.' ”

The Lakers were already without starters Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness), but then they added key role player Gabe Vincent (lower back tightness) to the injury list, leaving them without three main players entering the game at Utah. Vincent will be reevaluated in a week.

Jaxson Hayes started at center in place of Ayton and Smart started at guard for Reaves.

Injuries also hit the Jazz, as star forward Lauri Markkanen, the ninth-highest scorer (27.8) in the NBA this season, was out because of a right groin injury.

Smart had 17 points, which included him going three-for-four from three-point range in the fourth quarter.

Hayes had 16 points, making all seven of his field goals.

Redick talked to his team at halftime about their poor defensive effort and he did again in the third quarter during that timeout.

His message was simple.

"The players gotta go out and do it,”: Redick said. “So it's not, I don't know if it sparked 'em or not, and I just know that after that they were better."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.