Getty Images Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
Christmas came a bit early for Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green and Grizzlies guard Ja Morant.
Morant and Green have been going back and forth on social media this offseason, stoking the fire of the growing rivalry between the defending champs and Western Conference up-and-comer. The squads will get to face off in a showcase spot on Christmas day, per long-time NBA insider Marc Stein.
“Memphis at Golden State is another Christmas Day game on the NBA’s preliminary schedule for the 2022-23 season that is on course to be made official this coming week,” Stein reported on August 13.
The game is a rematch of the Western Conference Semifinals between the teams, which the Warriors won in six games en route to the title. Morant was quick to respond to the news, tagging Green and writing, “We got what we wanted Dray.”
While their rivalry has been spicy at times, Green actually had some friendly words for Morant amid the news.
“That’s the power of your voice young! Let’s goooo!” Green tweeted in response. “Bring the fam to the crib for dinner after.”
Rivalry Between Warriors, Grizzlies Still Heated
While Green and Morant exchanged some nice words, it’s clear the rivalry on the court is still something that could get contentious, judging by comments made by both sides after the Warriors won the title. Golden State guard Klay Thompson made it a point to call out some comments from Grizzlies big man, Jaren Jackson.
“Strength in numbers is alive and well,” Thompson told reporters after the win. “There was this one player on the Grizzlies who tweeted ‘Strength in numbers’ after they beat us in the regular season, and it pissed me off so much. I can’t wait to retweet that thing. Freakin’ bum. I had to watch that. I’m like, ‘This freakin’ clown.’
“Sorry, that memory just popped up. Gonna mock us? You ain’t ever been there before. We’ve been there before, we know what it takes. So to be here again, hold that.”
Morant responded on Twitter, saying that the Grizzlies “got a lot of real estate,” in the Warriors heads. Green didn’t take too kindly to that.
“We traded that real estate in [Ja Morant],” Green tweeted. “The property value was higher in Boston.”
The exchange led to Morant voicing his plan to play the Warriors on Christmas Day, which has now seemingly come to fruition unless the league decides to change things up before the official schedule release.