Can Draymond solve the season of humility and paradoxes?

Can Draymond solve the season of humility and paradoxes? (And why it likely won’t be Kuminga)

(or Klay Thompson)” ecology will be put to the test over the next nine or ten games with Draymond

Green back. Depending on what happens at Memphis, Utah, and at home against Dallas, the Warriors may even only play for the next

three games. After all, they will have four days without a game from January 20 to 23. Games against Dallas will start today and

continue every other day for the next three days.

This season has been characterized by humility on many levels: Klay turning into a man who doesn’t care as much about stat splits, as

he stated on the podium; Draymond coming dangerously close to retirement;

Steph finally learning to handle the ball (2.4 turnovers

per game over the last five games compared to his 3.1 per game career average); Steve Kerr coaching his asshole off with multiple

instances of different zone defenses, especially in the win at Chicago; the list goes on and on;

Andrew Wiggins having to come off the

bench for the first time since sixth grade; Jonathan Kuminga sitting down with Kerr following the report

that someone in his camp had said the Denver loss was the “straw that broke the camel’s back.”

The basketball gods have been serving Golden State a spicy version of humble pie. Heck, they even went so far as to bench Klay in the

closing minutes of more than one game, after he scoffed at the notion — although if you’re nitpicking,

that was probably more alluding

to starting versus not starting rather than closing. And even Brandin Podziemski no longer found himself a starter right

after boasting as much on social media on Christmas Eve, although that was mostly

just due to circumstances beyond his control.

To be quite honest, if I were the team’s outspoken leader, I would order the group to quiet down (albeit sadly,

Draymond recently returned from therapy, and Chris Paul is still healing from surgery,

so I can envision a quiet locker room). But I get it, a ten-year

dynasty will generate arrogance. This season has been about making positive changes in response to the

many unhumble behaviors that have reared their ugly heads. modesty

The Trinity of Steph, Klay and Dray, as well as its supporting cast, can’t get away with stuff anymore, whether that’s throwing the ball

to the other team for run-out layups and dunks and then expecting to shoot your way out of that predicament,

or crossing the line with refs or opposing players and getting ejected, but still somehow pulling out the win.

Nah, they’re older and slower just a tad, while at

the same time the rest of the NBA is younger, faster, longer, more talented, and smarter, just a tad.

Both of those arcs converging at the same time makes the clock tick a lot faster, though.