Green talks about the need to get Jimmy Butler more involved after 136-131 loss to the Trail Blazers.
The Golden State Warriors lost 136-131 to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night, wasting a historic 48-point, 12-three-pointer performance from Stephen Curry.
And while plenty of issues plagued the Warriors throughout the game, Draymond Green acknowledged one thing in particular after the loss: getting Jimmy Butler the ball.
Speaking to reporters via Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle, Green noted that he has to do a better job of getting Butler the ball and wants to see the six-time All-Star be more aggressive and demonstrative in getting it in favorable spots.
"He will. He does. He doesn't shy away from that," Green said. "So, we're putting it together. It's game 27. Nobody's panicking."
Butler's Inconsistencies This Season
The message from Green comes amid an up-and-down season for Butler, who is averaging 19.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists across 23 games this year.
While those numbers are solid on their own, the Warriors have struggled to get Butler into a consistent rhythm, and head coach Steve Kerr pointed to that issue after the Portland loss.
Kerr noted that Butler went multiple straight possessions without touching the ball during Friday's loss to Minnesota when Curry was on the bench, a troubling sign for a team that acquired Butler specifically to run the offense when their star guard isn't available.
The problem showed up again against Portland, as the Warriors let the game devolve into a track meet that didn't suit their personnel.
Where the Warriors Stand
With the loss, the Warriors fell to 13-14 on the season and are sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference standings.
Portland improved to 10-16 with the win, snapping a three-game losing streak of their own.
Green finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists against the Blazers, but also committed eight turnovers and received a technical foul in the third quarter.
His struggles with ball security only added to the Warriors' problems in a game where they turned the ball over 18 times as a team.
Still, Green believes the team will figure things out and that Butler will continue to embrace his role on the offensive end.
The 35-year-old forward has been through plenty of adversity during his time in Golden State, and he's confident this stretch is just another challenge the group will work through together.
The Warriors return to action Thursday night when they travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns.