NBA
Draymond Green Made Tristan Thompson “Big Mad”
Word on the street (aka social media) is Draymond Green was punched in the face, or even worse, “face mushed” by Tristran Thompson! Their NBA Finals game four beef spilled over into a West Hollywood restaurant on July 18 during an ESPY’s after party hosted by LeBron James. Allegedly it was a cheap shot, but aggression nonetheless.
However, what does this kerfuffle truly mean for the two going forward? Is Draymond’s tough guy image threatened? We know Tristan Thompson is the ultimate NBA hustle man, but is he an NBA tough guy now? If nothing else, it speaks to the significance of the Draymond Green factor. He is masterfully skilled at NBA psychological warfare!
Green speaking about the beef at the championship parade in June:
“I told one of them dudes on the Cavs. After the game he tried to shake my hand…I said ‘Tristan we ain’t cut the same.'”
Checking the results: there are no lies detected.
The Ultimate Warrior
Undoubtedly, Green is the true embodiment of an NBA tough guy. He is the rambunctious heartbeat of the Golden State Warriors, thriving in their frenetic style. Yes, Draymond is that guy! He is often disparaged by NBA color commentators for his on-court antics and argumentative posture with game officials, but it is obvious Golden State needs all of it to function at a high level consistently.
The Warriors are laden with otherworldly offensive talent in Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson. However, Draymond Green is the one player that legitimizes them against NBA teams aiming to intimidate the Warriors with physicality. He is the big brother nobody wants to pick a fight with.
The Utility All-Star
Deservingly, Green’s tenacity has led to 3 All-Star selections, 2 All-NBA selections, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 4 NBA All-Defensive Team Selections, and he was the NBA Steals leader in 2017. Draymond is the only player to ever record a triple-double with fewer than 10 points-crazy! He has only averaged 12.3 points per game throughout his career. His accolades are awarded for his unrelenting tenacity!
Draymond’s Presence Matters
Green’s spirit led the Warriors to three championships in four years. Remember, the only time Golden State lost a Finals series in that span is when Green was questionably suspended for the decisive game five for an altercation with LeBron James. Down 3-1 and against the wall, LeBron James and the Cavaliers bullied Golden State in game five, taking the series back to Cleveland with full momentum for game six. After the Draymond suspension game, Cleveland gained confidence, and the series was never the same for the Warriors. The Cavaliers ultimately pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history against what would have gone down as the greatest team in history. However, it was all sparked by Green’s game five absence.
Do It Where It Matters
All of that is to say this-Tristan Thompson’s sucker punch is making a little NBA summer noise. However, Draymond is consistently making noise where it matters, on the court. His NBA tough guy credibility is still in tact. Tristan needs to tighten up his game and level up to Green’s echelon of grit…that’s a lot harder to do than pulling off a cheap shot mush.
