NBA Finals 2016: Why Cavaliers will win Game 5

5. No Draymond Green

The complexion of Game Five changed completely when the NBA announced it had upgraded Draymond Green’s technical foul to a flagrant foul when he hit James below the belt during a tie up at midcourt. It was Green’s fifth flagrant foul of the Playoffs and thus earned him a one-game suspension.

Green will not play Monday in Game Five.

Golden State has survived missing key players throughout the season. In these Playoffs, the Warriors survived Stephen Curry’s knee injury and found a way to advance.

Green though is different.

There is no player who can adequately replace what Green does. He is both point guard and center. Post defender and LeBron stopper.

Green’s versatility is the key to much of what Golden State does defensively. While Andre Iguodala can guard James and so can Harrison Barnes, to some extent, it is the ability for those three players to constantly switch that makes their lineup so effective.

The Warriors are +13.6 points per 100 possessions with Green on the floor. They have a -9.6 points per 100 possessions net rating when Green is off the floor. Only Andre Iguodala has a worse net rating while off the court.

Green is clearly important to the team. The Warriors are significantly better with him on the floor. That is nearly 20 points per 100 possessions different in this series with Green on the floor overall.

Losing that is going to be difficult for the Warriors. He not only makes that defense work — his physical defense and rim protection was a key difference in the Game Four comeback — but it will stretch the Warriors’ depth some. The Cavaliers will have to take advantage.

Next: 4. He is still LeBron James