Steph Curry reacts to Draymond Green's impact in win over Clippers

The Golden State Warriors' dynasty might be fading, but they're not going down without a fight.

Draymond Green and Stephen Curry turned back the clock to take down the Los Angeles Clippers on the road. They'll live to fight another day and battle the Phoenix Suns for a playoff berth.

Curry got off to a slow start before catching fire in the second half, finishing the game with 35 points. Green, on the other hand, embraced the gargantuan task of slowing down Kawhi Leonard, which he did with some success (21 points on 8-of-17 shooting).

That's why, following the win, Curry tipped his hat to his former Defensive Player of the Year teammate.

Steph Curry praises 'special' Draymond Green

“He is special,” Stephen Curry said after the game, per 95.7 The Game. “He’s a Hall-of-Famer. Just a defensive savant when it comes to being in the right place at the right time. Fully committing to what the job is. it's not a fun job. Offensively, you can go and have your freedom, do whatever you want, make or miss shots, whatever. But defensively, you're at the mercy of somebody like a Kawhi Leonard, who is going to make your work all night.”

Green denied Leonard the ball for most of the second half. He disrupted his rhythm with active hands and lateral quickness, either forcing him to pass or preventing him from getting a clean look at the rim.

It was a stellar performance by one of the most polarizing and controversial players in recent history. For Curry, it was just another day in the office for his star teammate.

“I think Draymond, he feeds off of those battles, those matchups,” Curry continued. “It gets him going. It's our job to have his back, but the way he played tonight and just the level of impact he had was incredible. I’m falling short on the words to describe it. It was unbelievable.”

Leonard finished the fourth quarter of an elimination game with two points and two turnovers, and he wasn't a factor down the stretch. 

As much credit as Curry deserves for keeping the offense afloat, Green also deserves his flowers for absolutely shutting down one of the most efficient scorers of the past two decades.