In this interview, Warriors forward Draymond Green explains the intense, detail‑driven preparation the team undertakes at the start of a playoff series. He credits his college coach Tom Izzo for shaping his film‑study habits, describing how the Warriors treat the first film session like a coveted ritual. Green emphasizes an obsessive approach to scouting opponents, turning regular‑season "Cliff Notes" into exhaustive "white papers" during the postseason. He discusses the excitement of facing a young, hungry Rockets team, noting the Warriors' self‑identification as underdogs despite being a 2‑seed playing a 7‑seed. Green highlights the challenges of starting the series on the road, the role of bench players on the scout team, and Steve Kerr’s structured preparation schedule (two days off, one day of film, one day of practice). Throughout, Green conveys enthusiasm for the playoff atmosphere and a renewed appreciation for the chance to compete for a championship.
Chapters
When we start these playoff series, since Steve has been here, the level of detail we go through to start the playoffs, to start the series off, is so intense and like, you gotta dial in. And I always tell people, when you win a championship, it's not the winning the championship moment. That you remember because if I'm honest, it's a blur. Like it happened and it's like, what the hell, man? Like what? And then like it's so crazy. Like it's outta body, you know?
Yeah.
But what you remember the most is the journey. And our journey starts with this crazy lock-in on detail. And like I played for Tom Izzo. And the way Tom Izzo, the film, the level of film we used to watch, like I feel like I watch film differently than most even coaches do.
Right.
Because of the way Tom Izzo taught me how to watch film. And so the level of preparation that goes into a playoff series takes me back to my foundation. After the Clipper game, all I could think about was like, man, we gotta win this game because I want that first film session. Like that first film session we have to start a playoff series. I want that so bad.
Yes.
I just want to experience that.
Yeah.
And so that's all I could think about was just like getting to this, like we gotta get in so we can get this first, like this film session. Like I love the start of that. And so my level of preparation for a playoff series, like I, like, I dive in to this team immediately because I wanna know everything. Like I wanna know everything that they do. Like you gotta be obsessive with everything about them. Like just obsessed with it. And so, and that's the beauty of the playoffs. Like you get the opportunity to play a team for 7 games straight.
Mm-hmm.
Like you get the opportunity to know a team. You just consume yourself with this and basketball. And I love basketball. So this is my favorite time of the year. Like, 'cause you just get to lock in on what you do.
That's everything. 'Cause think about during the season, you getting Cliff Notes.
Mm-hmm.
'Cause you got another game. So it make Cliff Notes on the Rockets, Cliff Notes on the Rockets. You done played them 4 times. You familiar with 'em, you know what they do, but when them playoffs come, you get full, a full menu detail, dissertation, white papers, you get all that.
Hell yeah.
And you get a whole week to see the same people every day. So there's a level of studying that goes to a whole 'nother echelon. And it's like, you're checking off all these details and notes and the detailed notes when you watching it on tape, you're like, oh, that's how I stop him. 'Cause during the regular season, you like, damn dude, I got, sometimes you like, damn, I gotta play against this dude. He always play good against you.
In the playoffs, it's like, why is this happening, right? Exactly. You can lock in on it.
Yeah, you get to really, really lock in, man. Talk about your excitement about, one, just the matchup. And have y'all had your first film session yet?
We'll have our first film session today, but I'm excited about the matchup. I think this young team is, they've gotten a lot better. And when I say gotten a lot better, like you look at the team last year to the, this 2 seed, like.
Right.
I think they were like the 14 seed or 12 seed or something like that last year. They're hungry. And they want what we've experienced before. And so be that you've been in that position before, you know exactly how they feel. You know, you know, like you can always rewind back to like, man, when we were in that position, like what that feels like. And you can put yourself in those shoes, which can in a sense help you prepare. Yeah. In a different way because you know what to expect. And so I'm excited as hell about the matchup. You know, we've played Ime Udoka in the playoffs, in the NBA Finals. You know, we know what his teams bring, you know? And so I'm excited about the matchup. Hey, just being back in the playoffs, man.
Right, right.
Being back in the playoffs, having that opportunity to compete at the highest level is incredible. But then this is a young team, you know, a team that we went 3-2 with this year. 3-2 against, we played one extra time because of the play-in game. It's always a good matchup. Like it requires you to lock in if you wanna beat them. It requires a level of locking in, a level of toughness that you have to bring to the game. And you know, I love those challenges. Anytime you have a challenge like that, we are the underdog, you know, they're, they're, we are 2 seed, they're 2 seed, we're 7 seed.
We like to be the underdog, baby.
We haven't been able to play underdog in a long time.
Now it's like, okay, 2-7, let's go.
Absolutely. You know, and obviously we don't view ourselves as an ordinary 7 seed, but it is what it is. We're the 7 seed of the 2. We gotta start off on the road, you know, and—
Battle tested.
That's always fun when you get the opportunity to start on the road, you know? And so, man, I'm just excited, man. The playoff basketball is back. You about to see guys eat, ascend to an elite level. And I'm just excited to be a part of that again, man. I used to take for granted just making it to the playoffs. You know, when you do something over and over again, you like, oh yeah, that's just how it goes. Like, I don't take that for granted no more. Like, so to be in the playoffs with an opportunity to compete for Larry, that's what I'm most excited about.
We also, You know, they talk about bench players representing the starters on the scout team. Usually you get to see the dude who don't score a lot in practice bust everybody ass.
That part.
So. Like, I love to be on the scout team. 'Cause like, I remember it was Darrell Armstrong. He was Allen Iverson, dog. He was in practice murdering us.
That's crazy. That's how it used to go.
Right? Like them dudes on the bench can't wait to put on that superstar cape and practice and get a starter's fits. But that's another great way of preparation for the playoffs, right? It's just, it raises the level of practicing. Looking at Steve Kerr said, "Oh yeah, I get the next 2 days off." You know, some fans may be like, "Well, why they get 2 days off?" "Man, Steve Kerr gotta go prepare these white papers." Yes. "And we need one day of film to lock in. Then we gonna get one good hard practice, right? Where we can get up and down, right? We can see what they pace feel like. And then the next practice, we gonna get some shots. We gonna walk through. Everything is detailed. Save your legs. Let's go to war." Let's get it.
Let's get it. This guy's been here before, people. He's been here before.
