SAN DIEGO — Sometimes while hoisting three-pointers in games last season, Draymond Green heard the two words he has long feasted on: "Hell, no!" With his verbal sparring partner now shepherding a young Lakers team, Golden State's emotional leader is forced to find new ways to elevate his game. Navigating life without Walton's trash talk is only part of the learning curve Green faces in his fifth NBA season. Five games into the preseason, he is still figuring out how to play with Kevin Durant. Green's stat-stuffing tendencies have given way to more pedestrian per-game averages of 5.3 points, 3.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 22 minutes. Though the sample size is small and the playing time is far less than what he'll get in the regular season, Green has yet to reach double digits in a game in any major statistical category. Having a proven low-post scorer in Durant frees up Green for spot-up jumpers, a shot he is more comfortable taking. Though both are forwards, there is limited positional overlap between the two, and their defensive versatility should make things easier for both of them. A hybrid big man whose skill set is unique, Green doesn't need to be an offensive focal...