Getty Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Draymond Green and the Boston Celtics have been going back and forth with each other throughout the NBA Finals, with the Golden State Warriors star leaning into his role as the antagonist.
However, now that the series is over, and the Warriors crowned champions, Green has become far more courteous about how the Celtics played throughout the finals. In fact, the four-time NBA champion, recently spoke about Boston’s future championship hopes, assuming they keep their core intact.
“You have to give them a lot of credit. That team ain’t going anywhere. That team will be back. You better believe that team will be back…It wouldn’t surprise me if we see this team sometime in the near future—when we’re done—win a championship,” Green said during an episode of The Draymond Green Show, which he filmed from the podium on June 16.
The Celtics failed to win game six against the Warriors on June 16, and as such, finished the season as runners-up – although the learning experience this post-season run provided was invaluable.
Draymond Trolled Celtics Following Victory
Green might have spoken glowingly about the Celtics’ future, and how they’re built for sustained success, but shortly after the Warriors left the TD Garden, he was pictured wearing a Celtics t-shirt with some hand-made modifications.
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While Celtics fans might not have taken the joke lightly, Green’s escapades speak to the type of character he is, and how he embraces his role on the Warriors team. Although, that trolling effort could come back to bite him if Boston and Golden State face off in the finals again next season – but there’s a lot of basketball to be played before then.
Klay Thompson Sends Celtics a Strong Message
Throughout the Celtics’ final few games against the Warriors, it was clear they were getting caught up in arguing with the officials. On almost every possession, at least one member of the roster could be seen barking toward the referees on the sidelines, and oftentimes, that meant they weren’t getting back on defense or filling their spot on offense.
“I don’t think we focus on it too much, to be honest. We have a next-play mentality. We’re just worried about getting a great shot up in those moments, not what the other team is talking about…If you’re out there talking to the officials the whole night, you might get in your own way,” Thompson told the media ahead of the Warriors’ June 16 victory.
Arguing with officials wasn’t something new from the Celtics, we’ve seen it from them all season. In fact, one of Jayson Tatum’s biggest developmental needs this summer is learning how to move on to the next play, regardless of poor decisions or absorbing too much contact. As a team leader, Tatum sets a tone for other roster members to follow, so when they see him arguing after every no-call, it encourages other members of the team to do the same – and this is something that rubbed off on Grant Williams over the final few weeks of the post-season.
Boston may have lost in the NBA Finals, but having seen the ‘next level’ which they need to get to, they will come back next season as a stronger unit, with a deeper understanding of what it takes to be crowned NBA champions.