Green shined in the clutch with his defensive play against Doncic.
Draymond Green came through on defense against Luka Doncic during the Golden State Warriors’ matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. It was a big moment that it gave him DPOY recognition.
The Warriors were protecting a 119-113 lead with 38.1 left in the fourth quarter. The Lakers were making their advances as Doncic attempted a shot around the rim.
However, Green foiled his plans as he blocked the shot and took possession of the ball. This was crucial to the Warriors securing a 123-116 road win over the Lakers. He finished with eight points, 11 rebounds, five assists and a block after 34 minutes of play.
Draymond Green strips Luka Doncic in crunchtime!
DPOY lock?pic.twitter.com/HrWzak5cay
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 4, 2025
His clutch play on defense garnered plenty of attention on social media, having calls for Green to win Defensive Player of the Year grow before the season ends. Here are some of the fans’ reactions.
“DRAYMOND GREEN WITH THE MF CLUTCH STEAL TO SEAL THE GAME DPOY 🔒🔒🔒🔒🔒🔒🔒🔒,” one fan said.
“That Draymond DPOY coming home after tonight, sorry guys,” another commented.
“If the Warriors all say Draymond is DPOY after this game – the momentum and narrative will seal the award for him,” one wrote.
“Draymond really won a DPOY in the final 30 days of a season lmao,” a fan remarked.
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What’s next for Draymond Green, Warriors
It is a huge win against Luka Doncic’s Lakers for Draymond Green and the Warriors, especially as they get close to completing their pursuit of an automatic playoff spot.
Five players scored in double-digits for the Warriors. Stephen Curry finished with a stat line of 37 points and seven assists. He shot 10-of-21 from the field, including 4-of-11 from beyond the arc. Brandin Podziemski came next with 28 points and eight rebounds while Jonathan Kuminga provided 18 points and nine rebounds.
Golden State improved to a 45-31 record on the season, moving up to fifth in the Western Conference standings. They are one game behind the Lakers and 1.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets.
Following Thursday’s win over the Lakers, marking their fourth straight, the Warriors will prepare for their next matchup. They face the Nuggets on April 4 at 10 p.m. ET.
