Getty Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors is held back by Draymond Green #23 after Durant was ejected from the game for complaining about a call during their game against the Denver Nuggets at ORACLE Arena on April 02, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors are headed back to the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years, and for the first time in five seasons without the help of Kevin Durant.
Even though Durant won’t be suiting up against the Boston Celtics, he still somehow ended up at the center of some pre-series drama. The source of the conflict is none other than Dubs star forward Draymond Green, who is almost as notorious of a personality off the court as he is a player on it.
Green dropped the newest edition of his podcast The Draymond Green Show on Monday, May 30, in which he attempted to defend his long-time teammate Steph Curry. Critics of Curry have little with which to quibble, save perhaps one resumé deficiency in an otherwise impeccable career strewn with Hall of Fame-level accomplishments — he has never won an NBA Finals MVP.
Green attempted to explain that the reason Curry has failed to win that award across five trips to the championship round and three rings is because the point guard has always been the focal point of the opposition’s defensive scheme, which brings his own numbers down but frees up opportunities for his teammates to excel.
“Kevin Durant was absolutely incredible in those Finals runs,” Green said. “Steph Curry got double-teamed probably seven times the amount that KD did in a given series. So when you watch those games and you say [Curry’s] numbers could be a little down, [it is because] he’s facing a double team.”
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Durant Takes Issue With Green’s Comments, Fires Back on Twitter
GettyKevin Durant, formerly of the Golden State Warriors, tries to calm down teammate Draymond Green after a foul during the second half of an NBA game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 19, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
In his attempt to backup his current teammate, Green apparently insulted the sometimes fragile ego of his former one.
Durant took to Twitter on Tuesday and addressed Green’s assessment of how defenses approached dealing with the Dubs’ juggernaut offense during the three NBA Finals he appeared in as a member of the Warriors.
From my view of it, this is 100% false…
“From my view of it, this is 100% false…” Durant wrote.
Not to be outdone, Green responded with a tweet of his own, in which he offered Durant a bit of unsolicited advice.
“You have to learn to listen to full takes and not snippets before you get baited into tweeting Champ,” Green responded.
Green Stirred Controversy With Prediction Prior to NBA Finals
GettyDraymond Green (left) of the Golden State Warriors and Marcus Smart (right) of the Boston Celtics.
Green has been no stranger to controversy this playoffs, as he drew the ire of Miami Heat enforcer Udonis Haslem just days ago by predicting the Warriors would play the Celtics in the Finals.
The comments came during the TNT postgame show after Golden State defeated the Dallas Mavericks to capture the Western Conference crown.
“I think both teams are tough. Boston has caused us problems, especially offensively. Their defense is incredible,” Green said to co-host Shaquille O’Neal. “You’re asking who I want to play, I’m gonna tell you who I think we’re gonna play. We’re gonna play Boston.”
As it turns out, Green was correct. Game 1 of the NBA Finals will tip-off at Chase Center in San Francisco at 6 p.m. Western Standard Time on Thursday.