Draymond Green has ‘mad respect’ for Steven Adams

Now that his team advanced to the NBA Finals, Draymond Green felt comfortable making up with series nemesis Steven Adams.

After his Golden State Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 96-88 in Game 7 on Monday to win the conference, Green conducted an interview with TNT’s David Aldridge. Aldridge asked Green about what the Warriors forward said to Adams once the series ended.

“I told him congrats on a great season,” said Green. Green then complimented Adams. “I love what he brings to the table. I respect a guy who continues to fight. We had our instances — nothing was on purpose — but he battles and I battled. I just told him I got mad respect and I love the way he battles.

“Since he came in the league, he’s been playing the same way. You gotta respect a guy like that.”

There’s no way you could have watched that series — or the entire playoffs for that matter — and not have respect for Adams. He was one of the best big men in the entire postseason and battled Green the entire way.

No matter how many groin shots or other sneaky dirty plays from Green he endured, he continued to fight and play well. The native New Zealander was definitely one of the better revelations of the postseason. And it’s nice that Green can respect a man who stood up to all of his tricks.