Ethan Sherwood Strauss 8y

Fez and Dray: Ezeli has backing of Warriors' most vocal star

During the news conference conducted in the aftermath of the Golden State Warriors' Game 2 comeback win over the Portland Trail Blazers, you could be forgiven for wondering if Draymond Green ever stopped throwing Festus Ezeli lobs. Green was effusive in his praise of his teammate, breaking down his contributions on a granular level.

"Changed the entire game for us," Green said of Ezeli. "Some people are going to look and say, 'Oh, he had a couple lobs and had a putback.' No, it's not that. "Did you see him on the ball screen with Damian Lillard when [Lillard had been taking over]? Did you see him on the ball screen with C.J. McCollum? Did you see him stop the ball screen when C.J. McCollum got back and blocked Mason Plumlee's shot?"

The play, with 4:13 remaining, was a proper one to highlight (Ezeli also had a similar version at the 8:05 mark where Plumlee was forced into a miss). It's a distillation of how and why a guy who was DNP'd on Sunday proved to be a crucial player on Tuesday. Portland's guards can shoot 3-pointers off the dribble, which means your big man better be able to help and to contest shots far from the rim. Ezeli, with his galvanized athleticism, did just that.

Or, as Warriors coach Steve Kerr put it earlier, "He changed the whole game with his pick-and-roll defense and his presence around the rim. The energy he gave us. He played 13 straight minutes. This is a guy who has been out most of the last part of the season and didn't play much in the Houston series. So phenomenal effort from Fez to really change the game."

Festus Ezeli, nicknamed, "Fez," or "Fezzy," and additionally nicknamed "Swagzeli," did start for this team for a long stretch of 2015. The season's been such a whirlwind that it's easy to forget his role in getting the team off to its incredible, historic start. Then Andrew Bogut reclaimed his starting job after returning from injury and later, Ezeli succumbed to another knee injury. That combination did much to quiet the buzz surrounding Ezeli's spirited play, as he performed well in a contract year.

Green was here to remind everybody that Ezeli had a breakout year, albeit one interrupted by knee surgery. When Ezeli appraised his season as, "up and down," Green corrected him. "I don't mean to butt in," Green said, "but when I look at his season, I don't see a bunch of ups and downs. I see him having an amazing year. Improving and everything you said he needed to improve on, whether it was his hands or his rebounds or whether it was his post move, he did it."

Green is right. Ezeli has thrived under Golden State assistant Ron Adams' tutelage, gaining facility with the ball and gaining patience as a defender. He's posting career highs in PER, defensive rebound percentage and a career low in foul rate. While the midseason knee surgery notably mars his contract-year efforts, Ezeli's resilience is also notable. Over his career, when he's been out for an extended period of time, he manages to stay in rock-solid shape. That might seem like a given, but it's actually rare for players to maintain form when bounced from playing games.

Ezeli, though, was able to come in and sprint for 13 minutes, hounding Blazers above the arc like a perimeter defender. It was a focused effort, unlike a previously off-kilter performance in Game 3 against the Rockets. When the big man channels his energy, it's easy to see why he'll likely earn an eight-figure salary after this season.

Green was also here to remind us of that eventuality. When Ezeli was asked about this summer, Green praised teammate's skillful evasion of the query. "Good question," a smiling Green said. Then, right as the news conference concluded, Green blurted, "Big money."

Beyond Ezeli's friendly manner and irrepressibly zany fashion sense, it's easy to see why Green is a fan. As Green has expanded his passing game, he's delighted in tossing alley-oops to the bouncy big man. Green may need little help this postseason -- currently he's a ridiculous plus-139 in a postseason Stephen Curry has mostly missed -- but he appreciates the different dimension Fez brings.

It remains to be seen whether this game is a sign of an expanded role for Ezeli. At the very least, it showcases what players are capable of under Green's guidance. It goes beyond Green helping to boost a player's confidence with public praise. In the specific case of Ezeli, when playing alongside Green, he's plus-248 on the season, shooting 58.3 percent from the field. When Ezeli plays without Green, he's minus-25 on the season, shooting 47.2 percent.

Right now, Green has the golden touch, on the court and in the media room. In between assisting his team, he's working to get Ezeli his green this summer. It's one of a few special tandems on this Warriors team.

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