Warriors' Draymond Green hits back at Kendrick Perkins after 'liability' charge

Draymond Green has answered Kendrick Perkins, and he did not soften it. Perkins said on ESPN's "First Take" that the Golden State Warriors forward has been more of a liability than an asset this season. Green used his podcast to fire back, admitting his physical decline while arguing that his basketball mind is what keeps him on the floor, the New York Post reported.

"I'm not even close to the player I once was. But Kendrick Perkins, the difference between myself and big dummies like you is that I can think," Green said, according to the Post. He went on to suggest that Perkins struggled once his own athleticism faded because he lacked the feel to make up for it.

The back-and-forth started with Green's ejection in Golden State's 116-113 home win over the Phoenix Suns. As Arizona Sports described it, Green went down after contact with Suns rookie Khaman Maluach in the paint and then grabbed him and pulled him to the floor. Dillon Brooks ran over to confront Green, the two had to be pulled apart, and both drew technicals. Green's double technical meant an early exit in the third quarter. Heavy reported that the league did not add any further discipline.

Perkins' argument was about production as much as temperament. He asked when Green had last been in the news for his play rather than a confrontation, and called his start to the season nonexistent. The numbers give him something to point to. The Post notes that Green, now 36, is averaging 3.2 points per game, and that his defense has slipped from its peak even as his reads and communication still carry weight. This is also familiar ground for both men. Heavy points out that Green has a long history of answering Perkins by mocking his old shooting and screen-setting.

What the feud leaves out is how Golden State has played. After an 0-3 start, the Warriors have won six straight to reach 6-3, and Green has been part of that run whatever his scoring line says.

What it means for Orlando

The Warriors host the Orlando Magic on Saturday, November 7, and they come in playing their best basketball of the young season. The streak opened with a 134-114 win in Denver and a 119-114 win in Minnesota. It continued at home with a 112-95 win over the Lakers, a 124-112 win over the Clippers, the three-point escape against Phoenix and, most recently, a 120-100 win over Miami. That run turned around a start that included a 22-point loss to the Lakers, a three-point home loss to Memphis and a nine-point defeat in Phoenix.

The Green story matters for Saturday mostly as a test of composure. He has no suspension hanging over him, so he should be available. The Warriors' defense, which has held three of its last four opponents to 113 points or fewer, depends heavily on his communication. Perkins' criticism also goes to the core of what Green still offers: whether a forward who barely looks for his shot can justify heavy minutes through organization and timing. A clean, productive night against Orlando would answer that better than another podcast segment. Another flare-up would hand his critics the next clip.