The Golden State Warriors’ first-round playoff victory over the Houston Rockets was as much about brutal physicality and psychological warfare as it was about basketball. At the heart of a lot of the controversy were two of the NBA’s biggest villains: Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks. Their rivalry was fully on display throughout the series, and it was made even clearer that these two do not like each other. The Draymond-Dillon Brooks beef was furthered even more after the series when Green called Brooks out in his most recent podcast episode for having bad sportsmanship after the Rockets’ Game 7 loss.
Draymond Green Calls Out Rockets Rival For Bad Sportsmanship
A Series Defined by Bad Blood
From the opening tip, the series was chippy. There were hard fouls, technicals, and open disdain between the teams. Brooks, already infamous for his playoff run-ins with the Warriors while with the Grizzlies, made no secret of his intent to target Stephen Curry’s injured thumb. After a Game 5 win, Brooks openly admitted he would attack any weakness in an opponent, saying, “If I had an injured ankle, I would attack that ankle every single time.”
But what set Green off was Brooks’ behavior after the Warriors closed out the series with a 103-89 win in Game 7. While most Rockets players forgot about the animosity and exchanged handshakes and hugs with their opponents, Brooks ran straight to the locker room without acknowledging anyone.
The Draymond-Dillon Brooks Beef Continues
On his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” Green stoked the fire. “Dillon Brooks ran off the court. Ain’t shake nobody up. You admitted you were trying to hurt Steph’s hand… If you’re going to be Mr. Big Bad Wolf, don’t lose and then not face the music. Don’t be that guy. Because, again, you lose a lot of respect for guys in that moment,” Green said. The contrast was clear when Rockets forward Tari Eason also left the court quickly. He later caught up with Green for a handshake.
Brooks has built a career on defense and provocation, earning a big contract from Houston despite his controversial exit from Memphis. Yet, as Green also pointed out, Brooks’ tactics can backfire when his team falls short.
Green has never held back from sharing his opinion, especially when it comes to criticizing (or praising) his least favorite players in the league. In this situation, he is probably right. Shaking your opponent’s hand, even after a tough loss, shows a lot of maturity. However, being scolded on maturity in a podcast by a player with the reputation of Green might not hold much weight.
A Rivalry We Don’t Want to End
The Warriors’ win sends them to the next round, but the animosity between Green and Brooks likely won’t go away any time soon. NBA fans can only hope that these two are part of many more Western Conference battles before Green’s career is over. Watching two instigators and defenders drive each other’s teams crazy is always entertaining, and Green’s most recent comments about Brooks should only stoke the rivalry even further.
Photo credit: © Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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