JaMychal Green stepped up big in Game 2, and the Warriors may need more of it against Lakers

SAN FRANCISCO — About two hours before tip-off, the Warriors coaching staff got some bad news. Kevon Looney was sick and could only play about 20 minutes. Someone else would have to start in his place and eat a few of his minutes, too.

So a surprise twist: JaMychal Green got the starting nod, only his second start with the Warriors this year.

The spur-of-the-moment decision helped unlock the Warriors’ offense en route to a 127-100 beatdown of the Los Angeles Lakers to even the Western Conference Semifinals at 1-1 — and Green’s performance was a reward for his sacrifice throughout a turbulent season.

“It feels good to be able to do this after the year I had,” Green said. “It’s been a rough one. I haven’t been through anything like this before. I feel like this is a year of growth for me. I feel like if I can get through this, I can get through anything.”

Green’s postseason thus far has mimicked his regular season — he’s riding the back of the bench, playing minimally only when matchups allow or in garbage time. In Game 2, he added all the stretch-four advantages the Warriors anticipated he’d contribute when they signed him at the veteran minimum to replace Otto Porter Jr. this offseason.

Necessary to beat the Lakers was the Warriors’ decision to space the floor against a lengthy, bruising Lakers team that boasts a stingy interior defense. Green has the size to match up, but the shooting touch to potentially make Los Angeles pay for leaving him open from beyond the arc. He got the Warriors’ offense going early with a transition layup and a 3-pointer from the corner.

The Warriors turned an 11-point lead at the half into a signature blowout third quarter with Green scoring 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, in seven minutes. He matched a career-high 15 playoff points, shooting 6-for-9 from the field and 3-for-6 from deep with two assists and a rebound.

Getting to this point wasn’t easy for Green. The veteran had mostly been a regular contributor in his nine NBA seasons with Denver, Memphis and the Clippers, but fallen out of the Warriors’ picture almost entirely — a situation made worse because of his bout with COVID and leg infection mid-season. Green admits it took an emotional toll that stewed as he sat for most of the Warriors’ first-round series against the Sacramento Kings.

Steph Curry’s speech to the team before Game 7 against the Kings, imploring his teammates playing fewer minutes to put aside egos, inspired Green to snap out of his feelings and look at the big picture.

“I was getting a little frustrated, but I had to stay with it,” Green said. “I wanted the team to know I’m here with them and for them. What he said was right. We have to buy in as a team. Can’t get these games back. So have to make the best of them.”

Readiness and his 3-point shot may have earned the 32-year-old spot as a rotation regular in this series. A deeper bench can help the Warriors overwhelm a Lakers team that, so far, is overly reliant on their starters — particularly LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Green’s ability to jump off the bench into the action helps.

It wasn’t a surprise to Draymond Green, who had been competing against JaMychal since the two faced off at age 16 in the AAU circuit.

“He a dog, always has been a dog,” Draymond Green said. “You get thrust into a situation that you’ve never been in in your life and your career where you’re not playing much, may play a couple games and then not play a few games, and that takes some adjusting.

With Loon not being in the lineup, we knew we needed some dog out there and he stepped up for us in a big way.”