Draymond Green Shades Harrison Barnes After Missed Game 4 Buzzer-Beater

Draymond shades Barnes after missed Game 4 buzzer-beater originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

One shot at the final buzzer of the Kings-Warriors Game 4 matchup on Sunday could have changed everything.

If Harrison Barnes drained his potential game-winner from 28 feet, Sacramento would be up 3-1 in the first-round NBA playoff series. Golden State would have put a dent in its impressive 9-3 home record since playing at Chase Center. And Barnes, as Draymond Green predicts, would have had some words for his former teammates.

“Harrison was ready to call us every b-word if he made that shot, as we all know,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show” after the Warriors’ thrilling 126-125 win at Chase Center to even the best-of-seven series at two wins apiece. “It was great to see him miss it.”

Down by one point, the Kings had possession with 10.5 remaining in the contest. It wasn't the first time this season that the Kings found themselves in a down-to-the-wire position, and they know exactly who to give the ball to during those moments. 

But the Warriors also knew. 

That's why as De'Aaron Fox, the NBA's 2022-23 Clutch Player of the Year, brought the ball down and crossed half-court, Green and Steph Curry double-teamed him, forcing the Kings point guard to kick it out to a wide-open Barnes.

Barnes got on an open look behind the arc and shot the ball over Curry as time expired. As the ball approached the basket, the Chase Center crowd, for just a split second, was dead silent. And when the ball clanked off the rim, a sea of bright yellow "Gold Blooded"-t-shirt-wearing fans erupted inside the arena.

"We know what Fox does in that situation," Green explained. "Most importantly, you can’t let him beat you there, which was my mindset. He got the ball, he was looking to make his move, [I] tried to get the ball out of his hands because you don’t just win Clutch Player of the Year being average. You’ve been in enough of those situations to show what you do in those situations.

"He got an award that was well deserved so I know in that situation what he’s trying to get to. And I came to help and Steph reacted immediately, went and get a contest on Harrison’s shot, and Harrison missed."

It was a good look, but it was even greater defense by the defending champions.

Had that ball gone through the net, though, Green knows it would have been a very different reaction.