Draymond Green has developed a reputation for being a dirty player, and it sounds like the Golden State Warriors star is tired of it.
Following his team’s 132-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals Sunday night, a reporter asked Green how he has been able to “restrain” himself in the postseason this year. Both Green and Kevin Durant, who was sitting at the podium next to Green, seemed annoyed by the question.
"Going over the edge isn't going to win me a championship… I learned my lesson." – Draymond Green after Game 2 win. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/2agrT7iFMe
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 5, 2017
“You act like I’m just this troubled guy who’s been in a bunch of trouble and can’t control myself,” Green said. “Jesus Christ.”
To his credit, Green then did his best to answer the question by explaining how he has focused on directing his emotions toward his teammates.
“I just been playing basketball, brother,” Green added. “When you’ve got great teammates like I do, who allow me to play with my emotions and allow me to be emotional when I’m talking to them — to use my emotions to the better for us, it’s easy. So just really trying to lead this team as much as I can in the ways that I do for this team. Not worrying about the officials and all that.
“I think at the end of the day, I think everyone talks to officials. I talk to them. But going over the edge isn’t going to win me a championship. I think I’m a pretty smart guy and I learned my lesson. So I went over the edge before — fool me once, you can’t fool me twice.”
Green already said earlier in the playoffs that getting suspended in last year’s Finals was a wakeup call for him. While he still lived up to his reputation with plays like this during the regular season, Green has managed to keep his cool during the playoffs. That’s part of the reason the Warriors have yet to lose a game.
