Draymond Green reveals tense Jerry Stackhouse exchange in Warriors win – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

Physicality was a primary storyline entering the Warriors’ playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

And while the Rockets dominated the offensive boards, Golden State held on for a gritty 95-85 Game 1 win on Sunday night at Toyota Center.

Still, Houston’s aggressive tactics — paired with some controversial refereeing — clearly frustrated the Warriors, especially forward Draymond Green.

During a timeout in the second quarter, assistant Jerry Stackhouse had to calm down a visibly irritated Green following a 6-0 Rockets run.

After the game, Green explained what Stackhouse — a former 18-year NBA veteran — said to help the Warriors’ defensive leader get his mind right.

“Stackhouse, he just told me to keep doing what I was doing,” Green told reporters.

“He said, ‘You’re doing a great job. We’re not worried about what’s going on out there, so don’t get so caught up in your emotions during that time — stay locked in.’ So he was great for me.”

Green’s statline of four points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals doesn’t jump off the page, but the Defensive Player of the Year finalist helped Golden State limit the Rockets to under 40 percent shooting from the field and a season-low 85 points.

Now, the key for Green and the rest of the Warriors is to keep doing what they’re doing, as Stackhouse said, even if star guard Steph Curry continues to get a questionable whistle during the remainder of the series.

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