Draymond Green believes the Golden State Warriors are better equipped to handle Stephen Curry’s absence this season, pointing to improved team chemistry and the development of their younger players.

“I think, you know, the spirit of this team is better,” Green said after Golden State’s 115-108 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. “We’re more certain on, you know, who we are, what makes us a good team.”

The Warriors played most of the game without Curry, who left in the first quarter with right abdominal soreness. He entered the night averaging 30.6 points, second in the NBA, but finished with three points in six minutes.

Green said the team’s improved depth gives it more options than it had last season, specifically mentioning Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski.

“Obviously Yax, having a guy who you can still get a ball to, could create an advantage. BP’s playing a lot better,” Green said. “So with the growth of BP, the growth of a lot of our young guys incorporating Yax, showing to be a really good young player in this league, I think it definitely puts us in a better position.”

Lendeborg led Golden State with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Podziemski added 22 points. Green said Lendeborg began recognizing the opportunity to take control of the offense once Curry was unavailable.

“The thing that he’s going to have to learn to understand is, all right, Steph wasn’t out there. You know, KD was off the court. I was like, you look around, you’re probably the best player on the floor, you know, regardless of team,” Green said.

“And so I think there was a point where he realized, like, oh, ding, ding, ding, you know. And he started attacking it, and the game flipped for us.”

Green said the young forward must become comfortable taking that responsibility.

“We need him to show that he doesn’t have a problem doing it,” he added.

The veteran also took responsibility for not organizing the Warriors’ offense effectively enough around Lendeborg. He praised Podziemski for helping correct that during the game.

“I am the one out there with the experience to get us in the sun,” Green said. “I think, you know, for a while in the game today, I failed with that. And credit to BP, he took that over.”

Green acknowledged that he should have acted sooner.

“I got to be better. I didn’t. I should have done that earlier in the game and I didn’t,” he said. “Give credit to BP for doing it with his play, but also getting Yax in the spots that we needed Yax to be in.”

Green also praised the Warriors’ response when Marcus Smart punched Charles Bassey late in the third quarter, an incident that led to Smart’s ejection.

“I didn’t really see the … I caught the end of the, you know, where he threw the punch,” Green said. “But from my view, I didn’t really see it.”

Asked about Golden State’s players supporting Lendeborg during the altercation, Green emphasized the team’s unity.

“This ain’t changing with that. You up against one, you up against all. That’s the way we rock it,” he said. “Something going on with your team, get in the mix. And guys got in the mix. That’s important.”

The loss ended Golden State’s eight-game winning streak and dropped the Warriors to 8-4. They continue their five-game road trip against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.