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Draymond Green says he received some encouraging words from Kobe Bryant before Game 5

The Lakers' Kobe Bryant goes up for a shot against Golden State's Draymond Green on March 6.
(Patrick T. Fallon/ For The Times)
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Draymond Green was in the middle of a rough stretch following the Golden State Warriors second straight loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder to fall behind 3-1 in the teams' NBA playoff series.

"I'm frustrated right now, mainly because I know what I've been to this team for years now and I haven't been that these last two games," he said the day after scoring six points and turning the ball over six times during the 118-94 loss Tuesday night.

But Green wasn't going to stay down on himself: He said he was inspired by a text message he received after that Game 4 loss, sent by a special friend who has been through all the ups and downs of the NBA postseason many times before.

Kobe Bryant.

"I got a text from Kobe," Green said soon after that Game 4 loss. "He said if making history was easy, why bother? That's 100% right. It ain't easy. It's a struggle, and I gotta make sure it builds character."

The recently retired Laker seemed to be referring to a message he had written for Green on a pair of game-worn shoes earlier this season -- "Make history."

https://twitter.com/Money23Green/status/687900227009822720?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

On Thursday night, the Warriors staved off elimination with a 120-111 victory over the Thunder. Green turned in a solid performance, with his first double-double of the series -- 11 points and 13 rebounds -- to go with a series-high four blocked shots.

Afterward, Green revealed that he had also talked to Bryant on the phone between the two games.

Bryant's message?

“‘Anybody could do it if it was easy,’" Green said. "So that kind of sat well with me, and talking to him yesterday, that’s a guy that’s been through it all, man.”

Green added: “Anybody can tell you something. But when you’ve got a guy like that who has really been through everything, it kind of hits home a little bit more.”

 

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